Guilty By Association
by ClanRedLady
Summary: Falling in love isn't easy. Falling in love with the enemy is near impossible. But somehow these two have managed to do it and question the foundation their lives were built on along with questioning what love means. I do not own K, its characters, or its world. (This is a Sarumi fic, complete AU, just a heads up.)
1. Chapter 1 - Losing My Religion

**(A/N: Hi guys! Here is the Sarumi fic I have promised all of you! Thank you all for waiting. I've decided to let you into my world a little bit with the chapter titles; the songs given are what inspired the events in the chapter. So if you want, you can listen to the song while reading and get what I got, maybe. :P Anyway, let me know what you guys think! Huge thanks goes to my dear friend St. Minority for helping me these past few months. If you like Trigun, go read her stuff! Alright, see you guys next week!)**

**Prologue/ I couldn't face a life without your light**

"_**Bury all your secrets in my skin**_

_**Come away with innocence and leave me with my sins**_

_**The air around me still feels like a cage."**_

_**Snuff - Slipknot**_

"_You are forbidden from seeing Yata Misaki. Doing so would be considered treason and I would have to punish you to the fullest extent. I hope I raised you better, Saruhiko."_

Those words had ruined Saruhiko Fushimi's life. Although the Blue King, Reisi Munakata, wasn't his real father; he was the only father he ever had. Saruhiko had been left on Scepter 4's doorstep when he was just a baby. Munakata hadn't been the Blue King for long but this wasn't the first baby to be dumped in his care. But when Saruhiko turned out to be a regular human, Munakata was at a loss. After a few hours of investigation Munakata discovered why the baby was abandoned: his father was a drug addict and convict on the run and his mother was an illegal immigrant that had been deported that very day. The Blue King didn't want the kid to be in and out of homes just because his parents had made bad choices, so he adopted the baby known as Saruhiko Fushimi.

Sixteen years later and Reisi had said those words after discovering Saruhiko had been contacting Yata Misaki, who was in the care of the Red King Mikoto Suoh. Mikoto also happened to be Yata's uncle who took him in when his mother became terminally ill. Mikoto had become Red King when Yata was eight and was automatically inducted into the red clan. While the red clan watched Yata grow up they also knew he would probably be the boss of them under Mikoto. But Yata didn't take this role very seriously as he grew older and didn't like that people feared him just because he was raised by the Red King. He preferred to make a name for himself and did this the only way he knew how: violence. This unintentionally gave him the nickname "Little Red" and he hated it.

So he chose to rebel and make friends with the rival clans' kid, Saruhiko Fushimi. Friends turned into fiery love and now both kids were traitors to those that took them in.

Right now Saruhiko was in his room, fiddling with his PDA. He knew Reisi was monitoring his PDA's activities but he also knew a way around this. He always had a knack for anything powered with electricity from a young age. He even knew who and where his real parents were, though Reisi eloquently dodged the subject anytime it was brought up. For now he just needed to make a shadow program for emailing so he could get in touch with Yata without proof of said emails. He was sure Yata had gotten a similar speech from the Red King and imagined Yata going into a rage about it. Saruhiko had to make sure Misaki ("Never say that in public, Saru!") didn't do anything stupid that would ruin their carefully crafted relationship. Although neither King knew it, Saruhiko and Misaki had figured out that they would be found out eventually. Just not this soon.

**My sweet Misaki,**

**Calm down! Don't do anything out of the anger you feel right now. We talked about this, remember? Just lay low until midnight and I'll tell you when to leave. I love you.**

He didn't give his name because it seemed redundant. He waited for a few minutes then hit refresh. The email had been opened. He deleted the email but kept the program, in case of a reply, and could only hope it was Misaki who had read it. Saruhiko leaned against the wall and slid to the floor, his eyes staring at his closed door as he waited.-

* * *

"Do you even know why the Red and Blue Kings fight?!" Yata yelled at Mikoto, his aura proof of his anger. He paced in Mikoto's room, shooting glares at his uncle who sat in a lounge chair smoking. Mikoto's eyes were narrowed and he had a frown on his face, but he had mostly stayed silent to let Yata rage. This wasn't their first argument and certainly wouldn't be their last, but Mikoto knew Izumo was standing just outside the door listening and would barge in if Yata became out of control. Although Mikoto was slightly surprised that _this _was what they were arguing about. He would have never thought that Yata would have become friends with the enemy, and he also would have thought that someone would have caught on before now. He had his clansman kids going to Yata's school for a reason, after all. He would have to discuss this with Izumo later on.

"We fight because that is what we do. It's what we've always done ever since Kings were discovered. But you already know this so I can only assume that you want to be the exception to this fighting." Mikoto finished rather sarcastically and Yata growled in response.

"But it's so pointless! There is no reason for it and it should stop!" he screamed, his red aura increasing and engulfing him. He shot all of his aura at Mikoto. The door opened and Izumo rushed in, grabbing Yata from behind and holding him while Mikoto remained untouched by the attack. Instead of being angry, Mikoto was chuckling. He got up and walked over to a struggling Yata, grabbing his chin to make Yata look at him in the eye.

"Did you honestly think you could hurt me with the power _I _gave you? Come now, Yata, you're not that dumb." Mikoto said in a low and dangerous tone. He held his gaze for a few minutes before walking past the pair. Yata had stopped struggling but Izumo still held on to him.

"Lock him in his room, he needs time to think." Mikoto said casually as he walked towards the door. He stopped in the doorway. "Oh, and take his phone. He needs a new one anyway." Mikoto looked back when he said this, a smirk on his face and a knowing gaze in his eyes.

"But!" Yata started but was cut off by the slamming of the door. He gave a defeated sigh and slumped his shoulders. Izumo let him go and gave a wry chuckle, running his hand through his blonde hair at the awkward position he had been put in.

"You can... uh..." Izumo started, lighting a cigarette to buy himself and Yata some time. "Take care of any texts or emails you might have." he finished quickly, making a point to face away from Yata to later claim he didn't see anything if he needed to. Yata gave a grateful sigh and pulled out his phone. Sure enough Saru had emailed him.

"**He's taking my phone. I'll be locked in my room. Love you."**

Yata replied shortly and turned his phone off.

"Alright, here." he grumbled to Izumo. He had no reason to be mad at him, he was just following his Kings orders but the whole situation was maddening. Izumo took the phone reluctantly and nodded towards the door. Yata dragged himself to his room, head down and fuming. He heard Izumo take out keys and closed his eyes for a moment out of regret. He probably would have been fine if he hadn't attacked Mikoto.

"I'll bring you your favorite ramen for dinner and a nice big soda for you." Izumo said quietly when Yata reached his bedroom door. He looked at Izumo and gave a small smile.

"Sometimes I wish you were King instead of him." Yata replied gloomily. Izumo gave a laugh at this.

"Mikoto is a much better King than I could ever have been. What I think you meant to say is you wish I took care of you instead of him. He's doing his best, I hope you know that." Izumo said while following Yata, stopping at the doorway. "You just have to remember that whatever you do reflects on the clan and Mikoto, both as a King and as your guardian." Izumo explained. Yata gave a groan in response.

"Yeah, yeah. Can't make him look bad and all that." Yata rolled his eyes. Izumo chuckled lightly.

"Dinner will be up in a couple hours." Izumo finished and closed the door with a little wave. Yata heard the keys jingle and the click of the lock and gave another defeated sigh. He looked around his messy room. He at least had his game systems and TV and his own bathroom. He didn't like computers so he didn't have one but now wished he did. He thought about Saruhiko and automatically smiled. He imagined if Saru were here he would have somehow made one of the gaming systems go online to be able to communicate. Yata only knew how to connect to fight other people. Yata leaned against his door and slid to the floor, his eyes staring at his alarm clock as he waited.

* * *

**Chapter 1/ Losing my religion**

"_**Trying to keep up with you**_

_**And I don't know if I can do it**_

_**Oh no, I've said too much**_

_**I haven't said enough." **_

_**Losing My Religion-R.E.M.**_

Eight Months Ago

God Yata hated school. The only reason Yata was here was because Mikoto had enrolled him once he knew he had passed his exams. Mikoto said he wanted Yata to have a chance to improve the Red Clan through education. His whole life was the Red Clan. He loved Mikoto and looked up to him with as much respect as anyone else but he also felt like he didn't have a lot of choice when it came to his life. He didn't have any dreams or goals because he didn't know anything outside the clan and school. He had friends but they also were associated with the clan.

It was lunchtime and Yata went to his usual table. Everyone was talking about the fight that had happened last night.

"Did you see Mr. Kusanagi do that snake thing with his flames? It's his trademark move!" a kid said excitedly.

"How would you know? You weren't there." Yata piped up, looking at the kid. Everyone gasped and looked between the two anxiously.

"Well, no. But he told me he did it." the boy responded flustered.

"Yeah, he did. I know he did cause I was there." Yata said with more pride than he meant to.

"You've been to almost all the fights though. Guess that's why you get a nickname and no one else does yet."

"Hah?" Yata looked up from the food he was picking at with curiosity.

"You haven't heard what everyone called you? It's pretty cool: Little Red."

Yata's eyes narrowed slightly as he repeated the name in his head. The whole table was looking at him in silence. It finally clicked and Yata's eyes widened slightly in shock.

"Pfft. That's stupid!" he exclaimed, getting up suddenly to leave. He had lost his appetite and sure as hell didn't want to be with this group right now.

"Later." he mumbled, going to throw his food away and making for the door. He had just made it out the door when he saw a kid sitting against the wall in the hallway, food ignored in his lap, playing on his PDA. Yata had never been in the halls during lunch but he hadn't ever seen this kid before either. The first thing Yata noticed was a silver pin on the kids uniform. He'd never seen any of the other students wear pins. He walked a little closer to see if the pin said anything. Feeling someone looking at him the kid looked up. He had messy raven black hair and black framed glasses that hid glacier blue eyes. The kid was thin and slightly pale.

"A picture lasts longer." the kid said in a flat tone, going back to his PDA. Yata looked down, embarrassed.

"S-Sorry." he mumbled. "I just wanted to know what your pin looked like." he stepped closer. The kid looked at his pin and rolled his eyes.

"It's just something my dad makes me wear." he grumbled, again going back to his PDA.

"Why?" Yata asked.

"Something about showing my distinguished future." he said sarcastically with another roll of his eyes. This interested Yata and he sat down next to the kid.

"What future is that?" he asked lightly. The kid looked like he was going to drop his PDA from shock.-

* * *

Saruhiko Fushimi didn't mind school the first five years of his life. But when he discovered that what he was taught could be found on the internet, school became a waste of time. He kept his grades up and only stayed in school because Munakata gave him the choice of that or going to Scepter 4's military school. Early in his years Saruhiko realized that he didn't like the general population because everything they talked about was so boring and pointless. He quickly accepted the loner nerd title and he was happy with that. Every so often a transfer student would mistake him for another new student and try to make friends. But after giving them the cold shoulder and saying he didn't give tours to new kids, they left him alone in his safe bubble.

Saruhiko was also used to being stared at, by both genders. Girls would sometimes risk trying to crush on a nerd type and Saruhiko was the best looking out of their options. This didn't last long as he would soon bore them with extremely complicated explanations of systems and games. As for the guys, they would try to pick on him to show off. They're teasing met deaf ears and they would quickly get bored of not getting a reaction. One group had decided to get physical but Saruhiko quickly stopped this with the training he received from the Blue King while growing up. Thankfully word of this spread quickly and his life was like he wanted it: quiet.

So when a kid his age said something specific to him, Saruhiko's mind stopped for a moment. He quickly recovered, knowing this kid would get bored easier than the rest of the kids. He had seen this boy around and thought him to be a hot headed idiot. But then he sat next to him and Saruhiko's whole world stopped. His comfortable bubble had been invaded and this kid seemed interested in _him._ Saruhiko sat for a few moments looking at him, his mouth slightly open from surprise. He realized he was staring and looked away. The kid has chestnut hair and beautiful hazel eyes. He was short but looked like he got at least a few days worth of sun on his skin. Saru's mouth suddenly felt dry for no apparent reason. He opened his juice box and took a drink and cleared his throat.

"Nothing interesting." he finally answered, glancing at the boy.

"If it isn't interesting then why do you have to wear the pin?" the boy retorted. _This kid is pushy. _Saru thought to himself, slightly annoyed. He gave a slight sigh and looked into the boy's eyes.

"It's a Scepter 4 pin, alright?" Saruhiko allowed his annoyance to show in hopes that the boy would leave. Instead the boy's eyes grew wide and a smile broke out on his face.

"No way! You're gonna be a blue?!" his voice was suddenly excited. Saru raised an eyebrow.

"Wait..." the boy stopped for a moment. "Your dad... What?! You're the Blue Kings kid!" he exclaimed. This made Saru's eyes narrow.

"How do you know that?" he asked seriously. The kid gave a laugh.

"I'm in the Red Clan." he said in an undertone after making sure they were alone. Saru stared at the kid then tilted his head. The kid held out his hand.

"I'm Yata." he stated simply. Saru looked at the hand then back to Yata's face for a few minutes.

"I'm Saruhiko." he finally said, taking Yata's hand slowly. It was either Saru's imagination or the two auras clashing but Saruhiko felt tingles and heat when their hands grasped each other.


	2. Chapter 2 - Devils Dance Floor

**(Hey there guys! Thanks for waiting for this one. I'm kinda going through some stuff right now so my chapters may be a little slow in release. But I'm excited for this project and I hope you guys enjoy. As always, let me know what you think! See you next time!)**

**Chapter 2/ Devil's Dance Floor**

_"**The apple is sweet,**_

_**Oh so much sweeter than it ought to be**_

_**Another little bit, I don't think there is much hope for me."**_

_**Devil's Dance Floor – Flogging Molly**_

In everyone else's eyes, Yata was a good kid for the Red Clan. He was a strong fighter and did well when given instruction. But that was all they knew about Yata. When it came to emotions and feelings and thoughts, the only information Yata could gather was emotion-fueled power, and thinking should be left for someone like Izumo. What Yata had learned from Mikoto was to keep your emotions in check and don't let things get to you. On the other hand, Izumo showed the example that showing the right emotion at the right time could do you wonders. So Yata learned to dance with his emotions and did fairly well.

But he had no idea how to handle being acquainted with a Blue. Saruhiko wasn't just any Blue either; he was the Blue King's kid. Logic was telling Yata to run away and watch from a distance, but a flame of rebellion had ignited within him, and Yata wanted to step out of the Red King's shadow. The thought of being called "Little Red" added fuel to his flame and soon burned out any logic thought he had had in his mind, so he stayed sitting next to Saruhiko, not minding the awkward air that had settled between them.

"Don't worry, I don't want to hurt you or anything. It's kind of stupid that I shouldn't talk to you just because you're a Blue," Yata finally broke the silence with a slight shrug. He looked over to Saruhiko for a reaction, but it seemed the raven head was still trying to catch up to what was happening. Yata looked down at his watch. Lunch would be over in a few minutes.

"But I will get a bunch of shit if I'm seen talking to you, so I better go," Yata started as he stood up. He looked down and gave a small smile. "But I'm sure I'll see you around."

Without waiting for a response he walked back into the cafeteria and went over to his group, who grew silent as he walked up.

"It's dumb that I'm labeled little. We should think of something else," Yata announced, his form of an apology for storming off. His group seemed to relax and started throwing out suggestions amongst themselves as the bell rang. They all left the cafeteria with Yata in the lead. He looked to where Saruhiko had been sitting and frowned slightly; Saru was already gone.

"What is it, Yata?" the boy from earlier asked. Yata chuckled and shrugged.

"Nothing. Thought I saw a new kid or something." He brushed his answer off easily and joined in the conversation, but Saruhiko stayed on his mind throughout the rest of the day. When school ended he thought of looking for him, but his friends didn't give him a chance. Yata couldn't explain it, but Saruhiko had piqued his interest. Not only because he was the "enemy" but... Yata couldn't put words to how he felt. Either way, he wanted to talk to Saruhiko again and smiled a bit at the thought of how outrageous his thoughts were; he would have to somehow do this discreetly and make sure no one found out. Yata would probably get in a ton of trouble and lose respect in the clan, but it wasn't like he earned that respect in the first place so he didn't care. He would see Saruhiko again.-

* * *

Saruhiko was confused to say the least. He had no idea why Yata was sitting next to him. He really didn't understand how Yata knew about the Blue King _and _him. But what stopped his head completely was _he shook Yata's hand. _Was it because he was trying to be polite? No, he had no reason for manners for other kids at school. What the hell just happened?

"Don't worry, I don't want to hurt you or anything. It's kind of stupid that I shouldn't talk to you just because you're a Blue."

Wait, did he look scared? Saru mentally checked how his face and posture looked. Fear was actually the last emotion on his list. He met Yata's gaze for a moment then realized why he would have said that. The Blue and Red clans were enemies, for no apparent reason at all. This being his first red clansman interaction made him feel slightly awkward though. He remembered the day a new Red King had been chosen: it was right before his ninth birthday, and Reisi stayed up all night that night. All the troops seemed excited and frightened at the same time, and a lot of the monitors were blinking and beeping. It wasn't until the next day that Saruhiko had asked.

"_What happened last night?" Saruhiko looked up from his homework. He was in Reisi's office. Reisi was exhausted but was still working with fervor. He looked over from his computer screen and thought about how to answer._

"_Come over here and I'll show you," he replied. Saruhiko got up from the table he was at and walked over to Reisi's chair. Reisi picked him up and sat him on his lap then clicked open a file on his computer. A picture popped up of a man with spiky bright red hair and bright green eyes. The man looked like he was Reisi's age and had a smirk planted on his face._

"_This is Mikoto Souh. I went to school with him. Yesterday, the Slate chose him as the new Red King," Reisi explained lightly. Saruhiko stared at the picture with interest._

"_So he's like you now?" Saru asked, eyes still on the picture. Saruhiko knew that being a King made a person important, a leader, and gave a person a magical power. Reisi chuckled lightly at the question._

"_He is a King now, but not like me. He actually is our enemy now, unfortunately." Reisi's voice was still gentle, but had a touch of sadness to it. Saruhiko turned his head to look at the Blue King._

"_Our enemy?" he asked, confused. Reisi stopped for a moment out of mild surprise. He grabbed Saruhiko and sat him on his desk so they were facing each other._

"_You'll understand in a few years. But for now you just need to know that the Red Clan and its King are our enemy. Always has, always will be."_

But to Saruhiko, colors didn't matter. All people were dumb and boring and such time wasters. That was why he made his bubble and his walls. He was raised to believe that law and justice prevailed everything else, but Saru's comfort surpassed even that. Reisi was a man of logic and to this day, Saru couldn't remember the Blue King showing a true emotion. He actually preferred this because it meant he wasn't nagged about things like friends or girls or extra-curricular activities. It also meant Saruhiko didn't feel alienated while at school. He didn't have friends and he preferred to not show emotion, but that was the example that had been set for him. He felt perfectly normal the way he was.

So the new acquaintance would be dealt with normally: avoidance. Saru didn't like the fact that he would have to spend extra energy on avoiding someone, but he shuddered at the thought of having to talk to _anyone _ever again. That just wasn't how his world worked.-

* * *

_"**If God had a name what would it be?**_

_**And would you call it to his face?**_

_**If you were faced with him in all his glory,**_

_**What would you ask if you had just one question?"**_

_**One Of Us – Joan Osborne**_

That night was fairly uneventful as far as clan activities went, so Yata hung out with Mikoto and Izumo. Mikoto had never been one for talking unless he managed a buss. This was one of those nights, so Yata used it to his advantage.

"So why is it out of the seven Clans, it's the Blue Clan that causes us so much trouble?" Yata asked to anyone who would listen. Izumo was doing dished from dinner and Mikoto was sitting at the bar smoking. Both glanced at each other and gave a laugh.

"You mean besides being stuck up pricks?" Mikoto replied sarcastically.

"Not all of them are stuck up. Well, when they aren't in uniform, that is." Izumo gave a half smile. Mikoto rolled his eyes.

"To be honest, there really is no explanation on why the Red and Blue clash so much. But it doesn't seem to bother the other Kings, so I suppose it's just an unspoken rivalry. If you think about it, both clans do that same thing, just go about it differently," Izumo finished thoughtfully. Yata tilted his head in confusion.

"My clan is nothing like that holier-than-thou Munakata's Blues," Mikoto grumbled with another shot of whiskey. Izumo held up his hands in mock defense.

"I'm just saying! What they do for the public is what we do for the underground. You can't really argue that," Izumo shrugged.

"Did you and the Blue King hate each other in school too?" Yata asked Mikoto. Mikoto glanced at him awkwardly.

"We didn't really talk much back then," he replied, taking one last show before standing up with a stretch, indicating he was done for the night. He walked upstairs without another word, both Yata and Izumo watching him until he disappeared.

"Mikoto and the Blue King come from different worlds. Mikoto wasn't at all surprised when Munakata was chosen as the Blue King," Izumo said gently while drying off the counter. Yata took a sip of his soda, trying to imagine his uncle in school.

"It just seems Mikoto gets angrier when it comes to the Blue King," Yata mumbled into his drink. He didn't see the slight wince from Izumo at this statement.

"Well, it is what it is. Best not bring it up again though," Izumo said while lighting a cigarette. Yata nodded and stood up, grabbing his soda and heading to his room. He sat on his bed and thought about the fairly short conversation he'd just had. The Blue Clan had never done anything to Yata to make him hate them, and he wondered if it was fair to hate just because he was told to. Maybe if he could be friends with Saruhiko, it could show Mikoto that not all the Blues were bad. Yata thought about this while mindlessly playing a video game until he fell asleep.-

* * *

Being in the care of the Blue King had a few setbacks, but one of the more annoying ones was having to live at Scepter 4's headquarters. Saruhiko had his own room but had to share everything else: bathrooms, showers, kitchen, rec halls, and daily activities. Although most training was done while he was at school, night training was done three times a week and very bothersome for Saru. Amidst all the yelling and sword clashing, there was more than one occasion where a rookie would get hurt, hurt someone else, or damage property. Night training also meant that dinner was served at a later time and much to Saru's protests, Reisi had made him eat dinner with the troops.

"You might as well get used to the schedule at a young age," Reisi would say to Saruhiko's grumbles. Saru was also a picky eater, so while everyone around him would shovel whatever was served, he would meticulously pick out all vegetables and cooked fruit. This would normally leave him with either rice or noodles and some type of meat. He didn't like chicken or fish so on those nights, he skipped dinner entirely and instead played games on his PDA. Tonight was a particularly troublesome night: not only was it night training, but dinner was sushi. Saru didn't even bother getting a plate and decided to head to his room instead.

"Are you not feeling well, Saruhiko?" Reisi called out as Saru passed his open office door. Saru stopped, his jaw clenching in annoyance.

"Tonight is sushi night so no, I am not feeling well," he replied with a hint of sarcasm. Reisi raised an eyebrow.

"Very well then. I have something I need to discuss with you anyway. Come sit and close the door," Reisi said while closing the report he was reading on his computer. Saruhiko obeyed silently and looked at the Blue King expectantly.

"Since you chose to not participate in Scepter 4's education, I've decided that you will receive special training during the times that you are not in school," Reisi started calmly while looking at Saru, his head resting on his folded hands. Saru couldn't stop himself from letting out a scoff as he looked at Reisi.

"I don't even know if I want to be in Scepter 4," he replied in an annoyed tone. Reisi continued to gaze at him with no emotion.

"If not Scepter 4, then what? Something with computers or electronics, I dare say?" Reisi's tone was even.

"I dunno, I suppose. Something I can do on my own so I don't have to deal with people." Saruhiko leaned back in his chair and crossed his arms, his way of showing he was uncomfortable. Reisi picked up on this and relaxed himself, trying to portray support and concern.

"You can do that here at Scepter 4, you know. I'm sure even the Gold King could use your talent. He's always picking up people to help with his cutting edge technology," Reisi suggested but could see it wasn't what Saru wanted to hear.

"Is it possible for you to think that maybe I don't want to be in a clan?" Saru asked in a serious tone. Reisi stopped out of genuine surprise, his eyebrows raising and a slight frown forming on his face.

"Explain," he prodded gently. Saru sighed and glanced at his shoes as he thought about his answer.

"If I wasn't raised by you, my life would be like everyone else's. I would have never known about Kings or the Slate or clans or power. I would have either needed to find a job by now or go to school to major in something I wanted to do," Saru started a bit awkwardly.

"Is that what you want?" Reisi asked with concern. Saru paused for a moment, wondering if he might have offended Reisi.

"I am curious about a life outside of Scepter 4," he said cautiously, looking at Reisi. The Blue King furrowed his brow slightly and sat for a few minutes in silent thought. Saru began getting nervous.

"Saruhiko, I think I understand your mindset. I would fully support you living a regular life. Unfortunately, you are a part of my clan whether I intended it or not. And being a part of my clan means that you are a member of Scepter 4. Obviously not officially, but that will change as soon as you finish school." Reisi explained quietly, pausing to let Saru process what he was saying. Saruhiko stayed silent as he thought of exactly what Reisi meant and felt his jaw clench. He took a break before he spoke.

"So you're telling me that I don't have a choice in what I do with my life?" Saru asked in a dangerous tone, unintentionally glaring at Reisi. Reisi remained calm and collected, feeling the tension grow in the young man before him.

"That is exactly what I am saying, Saruhiko," he finally replied. Saru looked away feeling sick. He knew he shouldn't say anything; it had always been pointless for the two to argue or be angry at each other. They had never raised their voices to each other, never had a reason to. But Saruhiko was beginning to feel caged and restricted, like a puppet that Reisi controlled the strings of. Anxiety began to grow and his stomach churned the more he allowed himself to feel emotions. Without another word he got up and left Reisi's office, not even hearing the Blue King call his name. He left the Scepter 4 building without a word to anyone, not noticing the uniformed man that now discreetly followed him on King's orders.


	3. Chapter 3 - Demons

**(Hey there guys! This chapter was surprisingly hard to write... and I've discovered that writing Yata means for short parts because he's so straight to the point. Anyway, let me know what you think!)**

**Chapter 3/ Demons**

_"**When you feel my heat, look into my eyes**_

_**It's where my demons hide,**_

_**Don't get too close, it's dark inside**_

_**It's where my demons hide."**_

_**Demons – Imagine Dragons**_

Yata Misaki wasn't the smartest person in existence, but when he put his mind to something it was stuck there. So the thought of making a friend out of Saruhiko was on his mind as he ate breakfast and walked to school. He knew he would have to keep it to himself and that proved to be more difficult then he thought. His normal day at school was classes with at least one of his friends and all other times he was surrounded by his group. He preferred the attention and wasn't fond of being alone because it made him feel lost. It was like the energy of the other people around him fed his mood and own energy. But for once he wanted to be away from his group and had no idea how to do this. Going to the bathroom wasn't a good or long enough excuse and saying he would go to the library would raise unwanted questions. By his third class he still hadn't come up with anything but needed to use the restroom. He took the long way through as many hallways as he could manage. Since class was in session there weren't many people around and Yata didn't mind. He knew being too quiet around his friends would make them think something was wrong and wanted this time to think. He finally reached the bathroom practically on the other side of the school and entered. It was empty like he expected. He did his business and went to wash his hands when he heard a soft beep. He stopped and looked around. Still empty. Another beep.

"Hello?" Yata asked cautiously as he walked towards the stalls. He bent down to see if he could see any feet in any of them. Nothing. He walked to each stall, peering in the small cracks of the doors. It wasn't until he reached the last stall that his curious eyes met with familiar blue eyes behind black rimmed glasses.

"Saruhiko?" he asked, still peering through the crack of the door. The raven head gave an exasperated sigh and looked down to whatever was in his hands.

"I was hoping to run into you again. Are you skipping class?" Yata asked through the door, taking his gaze away and to the floor. No answer. He waited a few moments.

"Is it okay if I hang out with you then?" Yata asked gently. More silence. Yata started turning around when Saruhiko finally replied.

"Why?" he said it so quietly that Yata thought he imagined it. Yata glanced in the crack to see Saruhiko looking at him. Yata automatically perked up now that he wasn't having a one sided conversation.

"You seem like a pretty cool guy." Yata's voice was happier now and he could see Saruhiko tilt his head.

"You don't know anything about me." he responded. Yata shrugged.

"That's why I want to hang out." Yata stated simply. Saruhiko looked down at this and Yata couldn't see his expression.

"You said so yourself that it'd be bad to be seen with me." Saruhiko's voice went flat. Yata shrugged again and gave a chuckle.

"We're in a bathroom, during class." Yata said. This made Saruhiko look up for a moment before leaning back to where Yata couldn't see him. It was several moments before Yata heard the lock unclick. This made Yata smile and he gently pushed the door open to find Saruhiko curled up on the toilet, holding his phone in both hands that were wrapped around his knees. A full look at his face and Yata stopped a moment: Saruhiko was either sick or really tired. His eyes were slightly bloodshot and a bit baggy. His hair was messier than before, like he had been grabbing at it.

"You feeling okay?" Yata asked with concern. Saruhiko paused for a moment before rolling his eyes.

"I'm fine." he grumbled, going back to his phone. Yata looked down and leaned his shoulder against the wall, crossing his arms.

"So what are you doing?" he asked. Saruhiko stopped like he was debating on how to answer. He seemed to grow anxious the more he thought, his jaw growing tighter. He finally gave Yata a long look then held up his phone so Yata could see the screen. Yata could see a list of timetables but had no idea what it was for.

"Trying to find a way out of here."-

* * *

Saruhiko had stayed out late, way late considering he never had a reason to leave Scepter 4 before. It wasn't until about an hour of walking did he feel his panic and anger subside. He had no where to go, he didn't actually know the city very well. He had no appetite but wouldn't mind something to drink. So another twenty minutes of walking and he found a relatively empty coffee shop. He ordered and sat in the furthest corner in the back of the shop and looked around. Saru had no idea why he left. He would have been fine just hiding out in his room but came to the conclusion that just being in the Scepter 4 building felt suffocating. A headache sank in sometime in the past hour and he took of his glasses to rub his temples with a sigh. In all honestly, he should have seen this come; he was raised by the Blue King after all. Reisi had always given him freedom to do what he pleased, within reason, so he supposed the shock of hearing that he _didn't _have freedom had set him into hysterics. He still wanted a say in this matter but knew it was pretty pointless to argue against Reisi. So he would have to find another way to get out of this. He didn't know if it was his pride or if he felt it was his right since it was his life after all, but Saru wanted to go against what the Blue King had just told him. He knew it was near impossible to leave the Blue Clan and being so close to the Blue King probably meant Saru could never leave. Either way he wasn't going to get anything done here at a coffee shop. Saru took his time going back to Scepter 4, thinking of his options and his night in general.

The next morning Saruhiko left without eating or talking to anyone. He didn't want to go to school but knew Reisi would be notified if he at least didn't show up to his homeroom. After homeroom he went to the least used bathroom and went to the farthest stall. It was peace and quiet until Yata showed up, and it didn't look like the idiot was going away so Saru gave in.

"You want to leave? Why? This school isn't that bad." Yata responded.

"Not the school, you idiot. The country. I want to leave the country." Saru snapped with annoyance. _Man this kid has a small brain._

"Whoa! No way! But you're just a kid like me. Is living with the Blue King that bad?" Yata looked at Saru a little anxiously. Saru stopped for a moment holding the short boys gaze. He was confused again: this was the most he had ever talked to someone at school and to be honest, it was a little personal. What was it about Yata that made Saruhiko form words into a sentence and say them? Why did he like looking into those bright hazel eyes so much? Saru blinked and looked away, embarrassed at his thoughts.

"Don't worry I'm not going to rat you out. I just want to know why you want to leave is all." Yata said to Saru's growing silence. Saru's brow furrowed at this, it seemed like a ridiculous statement but brought up a point that he didn't think of: this was Reisi's enemy. Out of all the dumb people in this idiotic school, Yata should be the last person Saru should talk to. But for some reason the raven head _wanted _to talk to this kid, no matter how much of an idiot he was or how annoying his curiosity turned out to be.

The bell rang loudly and made them both jump a bit. Saruhiko gave an annoyed sigh and curled in on himself, resting his head on his knees. Yata looked toward the door but didn't move.

"Don't you have to go to your next class?" Saru asked in a bored tone, not looking at Yata.

"I won't tell if you don't." Yata responded playfully, stepping into the stall and closing the door. He almost ended up in Saruhiko's lap from squeezing to get the door shut, then turned around to lean against the door so he was facing Saru. Saruhiko simply stared at him with slightly wide eyes, not believing what Yata had just done.-

* * *

_"**Just make sure you don't tell on me,**_

_**Especially to members of your family.**_

_**We best keep this to ourselves,**_

_**And not tell members of our inner posse."**_

_**Hands – Alanis Morissette**_

Yata wasn't the best at picking up on people's emotions but he could tell that something was bothering Saruhiko and honestly, Saru wasn't doing a good job of hiding that fact. So when the bell rang he quickly made the decision to stay with him. He'd have to make some lame excuse to his friends later, or he just wouldn't say anything at all. Yata really wanted to know why the Blue King's kid wanted to leave and maybe see if he could help him in some way. They stayed silent while people went to their next class, Saruhiko looking at his phone after he got over the shock of Yata invading his stall and Yata glancing at him every few moments. Saruhiko seemed to relax in seeing Yata staying with him and this brightened Yata up. When everything quieted down Yata opened the door and squeezed past Saru again, almost making him fall off the toilet. He took his previous stance on the wall, looking at the raven head expectantly.

"Being raised by the Blue King is particularly annoying." Saru finally said with a quick glance. Yata stared at him but his thoughts went to the Blue King. Besides how much his uncle hated him, Yata didn't know much about Reisi Munakata. He knew Scepter 4 was like a military force and was treated like one also. He knew there was a lot of saluting and "sirs" and "ma'ams" and probably a ton of training. One look at Saruhiko and anyone could see that bring a military kid didn't suit him at all. Besides being sickly thin he looked a little lazy and didn't seem to have a lot of patience.

"Annoying enough to leave the country huh?" Yata finally said after a few minutes of lost thought. Saruhiko shrugged but stayed silent.

"I want to see places, like America and Australia. I think that would be really cool." Yata said seemingly randomly.

"What's to stop you?" Saru asked, though not really interested.

"Well Mikoto is kind of a hermit. But I bet if I asked Izumo he'd take me, he's always going to England and Germany and stuff anyway." Yata replied thoughtfully.

"Why do you need someone with you? Especially an adult, that's lame." Saru scoffed with a roll of his eyes.

"Yeah, I guess." Yata mumbled in response. A moment later and his eyes lit up with excitement. "Let's go together." he said with a smile. Saruhiko looked at him like he just turned into a talking giraffe.

"I mean, not right now, duh! But we could someday." Yata said quickly to Saru's look. He chuckled nervously and blushed, taking a sudden interest in his shoes. He really needed to think about what he was going to say sometimes.

"Anyway, where are you going if you leave? And won't it cost a lot of money? How will you live when you get there?" Yata was rambling, still nervous about his comment. He had no idea why he would say something so bizarre, especially to someone he hardly knew. Just like when they first met Yata couldn't put a word to how he was feeling. For some reason he wanted to stay here all day long talking to Saruhiko and find out more about him. He wanted to know what would make him want to leave, he wanted to know how that could be done, he waned to know if there could be a way to make him stay. Like he had done most of his life Yata acted on his instincts and decided to indeed stay as long as Saruhiko would have him.-

* * *

Saruhiko was surprised. Both by Yata and himself. It seemed no look or comment could defer Yata, not that Saru was trying very hard to get rid of him. But Saruhiko really didn't mind Yata, in all honesty. He couldn't say Yata was comforting, he clearly had no regard to personal space nor did he think about what he was saying. But besides being an idiot, Yata was clearly interested in Saruhiko and just _him._ He didn't asked about Reisi or Scepter 4 or mundane things like what Saru did in his free time. Yata asked about the situation at hand and Saru actually liked that.

"Well I haven't really thought all of it out but it seems pretty easy to figure out. I have money saved, but I probably won't pay for the trip anyway. Getting a job wouldn't be hard either, especially in a place like America if I end up there." Saru said while still looking at his phone. He stole a glance at Yata to see a look of awe and smirked slightly.

"But that's assuming that I will get to leave. That's the hardest part. But I know a few things about hacking, I just need to be careful about it." he finished, finally closing what he was looking at.

"That's amazing. So you're smart when it comes to computers and stuff. But still, why do you want to leave so bad?" Yata asked. Saru gave a small sigh and clicked his tongue thoughtfully.

"I don't know what it's like for you but I don't get a choice when it comes to the Blue Clan. I guess because Reisi took me in I _have _to be in Scepter 4 and I don't like people making me do things without letting me have a say in it." Saru surprised himself again, saying so much to Yata on the subject. But oddly enough he felt a little better, like saying the words to someone had lifted a little of the anxiety he had. Saru unfolded himself and stretched, feeling slightly light headed and slumped back on the toilet. He felt a tiny pinch of hunger and looked at Yata. Yata was staring at him with slightly narrowed eyes, seeming to be thinking hard about what Saru had said.

"Let's go eat, I haven't eaten since yesterday." he said to Yata while standing up slowly to not get dizzy again.

"Lunch isn't for another 40 minutes." Yata replied with a glance at his watch.

"I hate the food here. I mean let's go somewhere to eat, idiot." Saruhiko said with a smirk.

"You mean leave the school completely?" Yata sounded shocked.

"I won't tell if you don't." Saru said with a playful look in his eyes. He walked past Yata and left the bathroom without saying anything else. To his surprised relief, Yata caught up to him a few minutes later, hands shoved in his pockets.


	4. Chapter 4 - Breakdown

**(Hey guys! I had SO MUCH fun doing this chapter. These two are just too freakin cute! Anyway, let me know what you think. Thank you again to the precious St. Minority!)**

**Chapter 4/ Breakdown**

_"**There's no sense in pretending,**_

_**Your eyes give you away.**_

_**Something inside you is feeling like I do,**_

_**We said all there is to say."**_

_**Breakdown – Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers**_

Yata had skipped a few classes in his lifetime, so he was comfortable hanging out in the bathroom with Saruhiko. But leaving school entirely was new to him. For as much as he hated school, his friends had made it bearable enough and none of them had the guts to leave the grounds. So besides having a tiny prick of fear, Yata was actually excited. But he didn't want to accidentally ruin his new experience or miss time with Saruhiko, so he let the raven head take the lead. Saruhiko walked towards the gym and followed the wall until finding a door that looked like it was there for janitors that led to the dumpsters at the back of the school. Once there, he led Yata to the gate behind the dumpsters and squeezed between the gap of the chained fences. Once out in the alley, they walked side by side again.

"Do you leave school often then?" Yata asked with a glance to Saruhiko. Saru clicked his tongue and gave a soft chuckle.

"No. But I have once before," he replied. They stopped when they got to the street, Saru looking slightly awkward.

"So... I don't know the city very well. I know there are a couple cafés around here..." Saru started, looking up and down the street. Yata laughed and nodded to the right.

"There's a place I like a couple blocks that way," Yata said happily. Saru seemed a bit tense again now that there were people around. Yata took notice that his silver pin was missing.

"How much trouble would you get in if we're caught?" Yata asked quietly while they walked.

"Tch. Probably just a glare from Reisi," Saru replied with annoyance. Yata didn't respond, thinking of an answer for himself to his own question; honestly, Izumo would be more upset with Yata than Mikoto would be.

Yata pointed out the restaurant when it came into view, and Saruhiko's eyes took in the various advertisements posted on the window. Yata saw him roll his eyes slightly, but Saru walked in anyway. Yata followed him to the table in the corner of the back of the shop, noticing how private it felt. A middle aged lady brought them tea and menus.

"The tea here is good," Yata commented while looking at the menu, even though he already knew what he wanted.

"I don't like tea," Saru responded. Yata glanced up at this.

"I always get the Soba; it's good too," Yata said, putting his menu down. Saru didn't respond to this but seemed to find what he wanted and put his menu down too. Yata stared at him for a few moments, seeing that his eyes weren't bloodshot anymore and his hair wasn't as messy as before. Yata busied himself with the tea until they ordered. Saru got Yakiniku and a soda. Silence fell between them after the lady left with their orders, and Yata realized he didn't know what to talk about. Conversations with his friends normally consisted of Red Clan stuff so spending time with someone outside the clan left him at a loss. He stared at the hot liquid in his cup as he thought about what to say.

"Why are you still in school?" Saruhiko broke the silence. Yata looked up to see him leaning his head lazily in his hand, eyes fixed on Yata in a bored way.

"Mikoto," Yata replied gently, his throat drying up instantly. He couldn't look away from Saruhiko's eyes for some reason and he began to feel nervous.

"For some reason I wouldn't think school to be very important to a group like the Red Clan," Saru responded while holding Yata's gaze. It felt like they were locked in a dare, seeing who would look away first. Yata finally blinked and turned his eyes to his tea as he took a drink. His hands were a bit sweaty and he couldn't shake his nervousness whatsoever as if a spotlight was being directed at him and a crowd of thousands of people were watching him. Yata swallowed and started rambling about why Mikoto kept him in school.-

* * *

Leading Yata out of the school had been easy enough, but when they got to the street, Saruhiko felt embarrassed. To someone like Yata, not knowing the city probably sounded weird and kind of stupid. But to Saru's relief, Yata didn't say anything. This made Saruhiko think about how different his world was from Yata's. Saru was privileged, in most ways. He grew up without need. Although being a Scepter 4 kid had its drawbacks, Saru had more than most kids his age. Because of this Saru was able to become his own person early on for his age. He didn't like vegetables and wasn't forced to eat them; he didn't like people and wasn't forced to interact with them. He liked electronics and most likely would receive the latest model computer or phone for his birthday or holiday. Being in the city right now made Saruhiko very uncomfortable because all of this was so unknown and unpredictable; strangers surrounded them and alleys hid people that were surely up to no good. But one glance at Yata and Saru could see how relaxed he was in this setting. Saruhiko almost envied him.

When they arrived Saru could tell in one glance that this place would indeed be frequented by Yata. It was a simple place, probably owned by a family, meaning most of the food could be found in people's homes. But it was quiet and Saru approved, as long as he could find something to meet his picky needs.

Seeing Yata much more relaxed had made Saru relax also. It was clear that Yata had no idea what to talk about, seeming to realize that Saruhiko was in a different bracket in the social pyramid. Saru asking about school was his way to get Yata comfortable, but something Saruhiko did made Yata visibly nervous. Did Yata and him share the same common ground in not being able to explain how the other made them feel? Yata's ramblings of the Red king became background noise as Saru observed him: his features, gestures, the way his mouth looked when he said words, where his eyes would wander as he talked about the Red Clan and its King. Saruhiko's eyes widened slightly when he felt his stomach tingle. He looked down to his soda, trying to figure out this odd and new feeling. Maybe the smell of food had overloaded his senses and hunger set in fully. Saru pushed the new feeling away with a gulp from his soda, taking an ice cube in his mouth to play with.

"And so Mikoto wants the Red Clan to do better, so he thinks me going to school will somehow do that." Yata ended his long and drawn out explanation with a small sigh, pouring himself more tea.

"But isn't one of the points of the Red Clan to deal with gangs and all that underground stuff?" Saru asked in a muffled voice by the ice. Yata shrugged.

"I don't really get it cause it's not like I'm going to be the next Red King. I guess he just wants someone to keep the clan together when he's not King anymore," Yata finished in a mumble. Saru looked over to him to see a bit of sadness and uncertainty on his features.

"Sounds like too much trouble to worry about. What do _you _want to do when school is over?" Saru asked to change the subject. He knew Kings didn't live once they were chosen by the Slate, at least that's what history had proven so far. The first Red and Blue Kings had died together after a battle that had caused one of their Swords of Damocles to fall, causing a huge disaster that killed hundreds of people. The question seemed to distract Yata enough to get rid of the sadness on his face.-

* * *

_"**Oh well, I don't mind, if you don't mind**_

_**Cause I don't shine if you don't shine**_

_**Before you go, can you read my mind?"**_

_**Read My Mind – The Killers**_

The way Saruhiko looked at him was what made Yata nervous. He figured this out when he was talking about Mikoto. It was like those glacier orbs pierced through his skin and into his soul, leaving him feeling exposed and vulnerable. But while he felt like his nerves were on fire, he also felt like he wanted Saruhiko to see him. He didn't know why, but he fully trusted the strange raven head that sat across from him, and he wanted Saruhiko to trust him also. He didn't feel this way about any of his friends but like this new desire, or maybe it was a challenge? Saruhiko was obviously uncomfortable with a lot of things; just the walk over here he seemed like he was trying his hardest to blend in with the shadows and not be seen. Sitting here now though felt like Yata was the only thing Saru could keep his eyes on until he would pay attention to his soda.

Their food arrived and Yata waited until the lady set everything down, lit the grill, and left before answering Saruhiko's question.

"I think you and I both have our lives set for us. I want to travel and see the world and do great things, but I'm bound here, to the Red Clan. I'm sure I'll be able to travel someday, just when Mikoto says it's okay for me to leave," Yata explained while blowing on his soup, glancing between it and Saru. Saru busied himself with cooking his beef. He didn't use any sauce, just salt and pepper, and about burned it to a crisp.

"Guess you like it well done?" Yata asked sarcastically with raised eyebrows. Saru rolled his eyes with an annoyed click of his tongue. They ate in silence for a few minutes with only Yata's slurping being heard. Yata looked at his watch and wanted to cringe: lunch was over and the second part of classes had already started.

"So what's next? I have to be back at school at least by last class or my friends will tell Mikoto that I skipped," Yata confessed a few minutes later. Saru gave him an annoyed look.

"So what?" he responded flatly.

"They'll want to know where I was and who I was with," Yata answered quietly, partly out of guilt.

"Fine. Show me some of the city then we'll go back." Saru took a bored tone, but his gaze made Yata want to shiver with happiness.-

* * *

Even though Saruhiko didn't want to go back to that damned school, he had to agree with Yata about unwanted questions. Although he didn't have friends to answer to, he knew hanging out with Yata had to be kept between them for both their sakes. Since Yata was the only person he wanted to spend energy on, he was already feeling a bit possessive. He didn't want his new friend to be taken away so soon.

The time came to pay for the meal and both Saruhiko and Yata reached for the bill. Their hands bumped into each other and Saru took a breath in. The same feeling from when they shook hands happened again. Yata must have felt it too because he was glancing at Saru awkwardly and stuttering.

"I...I..." Yata tried. He gulped before finally speaking. "It can be my treat this time," he said timidly.

"No. I should pay because of the potential trouble I've caused," Saru responded.

"There's no trouble," Yata said more pointedly. Saru gave a defeated and annoyed sigh.

"Fine. Let's split it," he retorted with an eye roll. Yata looked like he wanted to argue but shrugged after a few moments.

Saruhiko felt better now that he'd eaten and had a small amount of caffeine, so he almost didn't mind walking on the crowded sidewalk with Yata. Almost. It was the last month of winter, but the air was still a bit chilled. Saruhiko and Yata both had long sleeve shirts, on but no jackets so Saru held himself tightly as Yata led him around. Yata explained various shops and places that he and his friends hung out. Saru looked around as much as he could stand, but too frequently would end up making eye contact with a stranger, so he either kept his eyes on Yata or the ground.

"This is one of my favorite places." Yata stopped and pointed. Saru looked up to see a game center. This brought a smirk to his face.

"What kind of games do you play?" he asked slyly, looking at Yata while inching his way into the arcade.

"All kinds. I'm good at fighting and shooting games thought." Yata caught on to Saru's mischievousness and chuckled.

"I bet I could kick your ass at Street Fighter," Yata said confidently while walking to the change maker.

"Tch, please!" Saru responded, putting money into Yata's hand then walking over to the game they were going to play.

Fifteen minutes later and they were tied at three wins each. Saru wasn't surprised by Yata's talent, but Yata was shocked at how well Saruhiko knew the game.

"Tie-breaker?" Saru asked while feeding the machine money.

"You're on!" Yata replied happily. They picked their fighters and the match started. They were both down to about fifty percent health when Saru smirked with joy. He let go of his joystick and poked at Yata's exposed side. Yata jumped and yelped with a mixture of a giggle and his fighter was K. .

"Cheater!" Yata exclaimed while trying to recover from the surprise attack.

"That wasn't cheating. I was just using an advantage point," Saru said with a satisfied smirk. Yata grumbled and glared in response then looked at his watch.

"We better go. How did you know I was ticklish anyway?" he asked while heading towards the door.

"I didn't. But I do now," he replied with a happy sparkle in his blue eyes.


	5. Chapter 5 - Swing Life Away

**(****Hey there guys! This chapter was super fun and cute, I'm having so much fun with this story! Let me know what you think, as always!)**

**Chapter 5/ Swing Life Away**

_"**I've got some friends, some that I hardly know**_

_**But we've had some time, I wouldn't trade for the world,**_

_**We chase these days down with talks of the places that we will go."**_

_**Swing Life Away – Rise Against**_

Before Yata left Saru once they were back inside the gym, he gave Saru his email address.

"Texting can be found out too easy," Yata explained while Saru looked at what Yata had typed into his phone. Saru nodded and Yata waved goodbye, leaving the gym just as the last bell rang for the day.

"Yata! Where have you been all day?" a voice shouted as Yata was going to his locker. He looked up to see the boy he'd last had class with.

"Oh hey. Mr. Kusanagi called me to do something for him. He wanted me to keep quiet about it," Yata responded with the lie he thought of on the way back to school. This would cover all his tracks because his friends wouldn't talk about it at school or otherwise.

"Oh, okay. Here, I grabbed your stuff," the boy said, handing Yata his bag.

That night, Yata helped the clan deal with an uprising gang that was causing trouble for a couple of shop owners nearby. He fought well, but had gotten hit twice: once in the ribs and once in the head.

"You feeling alright, Yata? It's not like you to get hit twice by the same guy," Izumo chimed in as he kicked the last conscious person in the head, knocking him out.

"Yeah, I'm fine. Just a little tired is all," Yata shrugged and winced. Izumo didn't reply, just lit a cigarette with a raised eyebrow. The truth was that Yata couldn't focus. His day with Saruhiko kept replaying in his mind and it left him feeling a bit confused. He truly had fun and wanted to spend more time with him, but he had no idea how to make that happen. It didn't make sense that Yata wanted to spend time with someone, especially this badly.

As Yata walked back home with Mikoto and Izumo, he pulled out his phone. An email had come in during his fight and Yata stopped out of excitement.

"What?" Mikoto grumbled with a glance back to Yata.

"Oh nothing. Got an email about a new game I want. I'm gonna go check it out," Yata mumbled, still looking at his phone while turning around.

"You should come home and put ice on those bumps you got," Izumo called out with concern.

"I won't be long, promise!" he replied as he turned the corner. He stopped about halfway up the street to open the email, his hand shaking slightly. Yata's shoulders slumped to find it was indeed a notification that a game he pre-ordered released last night and was ready for pick up.

"Damn!" he said with a sigh. He looked around to see where he ended up. The game store was about a block away. _Might as well, _he thought to himself grumpily. What the hell was he just thinking? Maybe the hit to his head made him think something stupid or not think logically. Either way, he should just get his game and go home; that fight had worn him out now that he was calm. Yata pushed any previous thoughts he had away as he entered the game store.

On his walk home however, his thoughts wouldn't leave him alone. What was it about Saruhiko that got him so excited? He scowled at nothing in particular, his own thoughts making him upset and gloomy. He didn't know why he was acting so weird, dumb even. Yeah, Saru was someone different. He was an enemy, he was from a different clan, he even wanted to leave this place. All those put together made the raven head something exotic to Yata, something he craved to know more about.

"Ah, there you are. I've already made you ice bags," Izumo greeted Yata when he walked in the bar. Yata gave a sigh, looking down in guilt. He sat on a couch as Izumo tossed the ice bags to him. Mikoto was at the bar with probably already half a whiskey downed.

"Where was your head today?" Mikoto grumbled over to Yata, glancing back at him with curiosity. Yata froze for moment. He didn't know Mikoto had been watching him so closely.

"School isn't as easy as you would think," Yata replied while taking his game out to look at the booklet. He heard Mikoto grunt.

"Give him a break, huh? He shouldn't even have to fight with us yet, you know," Izumo said from behind the bar. Yata looked up to see Mikoto glare at the other man, which Izumo met with a stern gaze. It was Yata's cue to leave, and so he took his ice and game and went to his room just as he heard Izumo scolding Mikoto and Mikoto replying with a string of curse words. He sighed as he entered his room, closing the door quietly. Both Izumo and Mikoto had their points in these arguments, but with Yata fighting since he was twelve, he thought they would have gotten over it by now. Izumo was a mother in many regards, making sure that Yata had a way to live in case anything ever happened to Mikoto. But he also was the one that openly cared for Yata's well-being, something that Mikoto did care about, just not in a way that made sense to anyone else.

Yata turned on his system and put his new game in, mildly interested in it for the first hour or so. When his eyes began to get droopy, he turned everything off and crawled in bed. Once again, his day flooded his mind as he didn't have anything to distract him now. Yata hid under his blankets as he tried to sort everything out, eventually sleep taking him.-

Saruhiko's night turned out much worse than he cared for. When Saru didn't show up for dinner, Reisi came to his room with a knock.

"Yeah," Saru answered the knock from his desk. He looked back when the door opened and rolled his eyes, looking back to his computer screen.

"I'm fine, just not hungry tonight," Saru grumbled before Reisi could speak. He didn't feel like dealing with a _concerned _caregiver tonight; he honestly just wanted to avoid the Blue King at all costs actually. A light chuckle could be heard from the Blue King as he sat on Saru's bed.

"You've made it fairly clear that you are upset about our discussion last night. I just wanted to tell you I acknowledge why it would be causing you distress," Reisi started in the same gentle tone he'd used last night. Silence was Saruhiko's reaction, not even a glance to show he was listening. He couldn't be comforted, even though that was Reisi's intent. Having his life dictated so easily made him more frustrated than he could put words to, and he knew telling the Blue King this would only make matters worse. So he resorted to avoiding anything he could from Reisi; it was the only way he could show that he didn't support anything that Reisi was doing. Communicating with him would only play into Reisi's already large ego.

"I also have decided that we will start slow with your training. Your first session will be this Sunday, in my office. Arrive after dinner," he continued, standing up and going to the doorway. An annoyed sigh left Saru with a slight slump of his shoulders. The Blue King opened the door and stopped.

"By the way, I can understand that thoughts made out of anger are often irrelevant. I do hope, Saruhiko, that those thoughts don't turn into actions that could prove detrimental to you and I. Goodnight." Reisi's voice had a knowing undertone to it that made Saru look back. When they locked eyes Saruhiko had an unpleasant shudder run through his whole body as the door clicked shut.

"Dammit!" he said under his breath. He knew exactly what Reisi meant by that: the Blue King was tracking his phone activity. Honestly he should have thought about that from the beginning, but his despair led him to make obvious uncharacteristic choices all day today. He gave an annoyed sigh and turned back to his computer. Luckily, he had his own encrypted server for his PC that he bought a few years ago while learning more complex hacking techniques. He'd have to use that to communicate with Yata.

Speaking of Yata, that was what he had been working on for the past half hour. Thirty minutes of typing, reading, deleting, typing, rinse and repeat. Saruhiko had discovered in that thirty minutes that he definitely was more comfortable saying things to a computer screen rather than to someone's (Yata's) face.

**Hey Yata, Saru here. Figured I should give you my email too. I had a lot of fun today... Something I can't say has ever happened to me. I want to hang out again if it wouldn't be too much trouble, maybe even a rematch (I won't "cheat" this time). So let me know when you're free.**

** -S. Fushimi**

He had typed "Dear Yata," "Hello Yata," and "Hi Yata," in a cycle and deleted them, thinking they all sounded dumb. In a flurry of emotion, he'd written that being with Yata made him happy but promptly back spaced, not wanting to freak Yata out. The last thing he spent time on was saying goodbye, which he admitted was lame no matter how it was put. So for the past five minutes, his cursor hovered between 'Send' and 'Delete'. He tapped his fingers nervously, bit his lip, and tried to decide what to do. He got up and got a soda from his mini fridge, paced a bit, then sat back down at his desk. He finished his soda in a few gulps then sat silent for several minutes.

"Too soon," he whispered to himself, clicking 'Save as Draft'. He let out a sigh, laying his head on his desk and stared at nothing until he fell asleep.-

* * *

_"**I am covered in skin,**_

_**no one gets to come in,**_

_**Pull me out from inside,**_

_**I am folded and unfolded and unfolding."**_

_**Colorblind – Counting Crows**_

The last comforting thought Yata had that night was no one knew about his new friend and no one would ever know. But Yata's dreams left him restless and tired the next morning, which meant he was grumpy.

"You should stay home and rest today," Izumo offered while cleaning up breakfast, a reaction to Yata's scowls and rough fork-handling while he was eating.

"A tempting offer, but I have two tests today," Yata said with a long stretch before grabbing his bag. It wasn't a lie: one test was scheduled for today; the other Yata had missed yesterday.

"Ah well. Least it's Friday. Good luck then!" Izumo waved him out.

It was Friday. This made Yata want to both jump for joy and groan at the same time. Weekends were a busy time for the clan, but it was mostly visiting. Izumo would probably have Yata sit out on fights if they happened, which added to his bad mood. He hated people worrying about him.

His group of friends weren't helping much; they were more quiet than usual and gave him worried looks throughout that morning. Yata ignored them the best he could and when he finished his make-up exam, he left that class early. He didn't feel like spending an awkward lunch with his friends, so he headed towards the gym. He wasn't going to ditch again, but that back part of the school was perfect to hide out in.

Once there, he slid down the wall and curled up on himself, hiding his face in his knees. It wasn't that he was completely exhausted or overwhelmed; he just didn't have his usual energy today. He was upset with himself for being so stupid yesterday, being distracted enough to cause worry, then getting excited about a damn email. He could only reassure himself like he did last night; Saruhiko was just new and exciting.

"Yata?" a voice made his head shoot up and slam on the wall behind him.

"Ah shit!" he yelped as he rubbed where a bump was forming. He opened one of his squinting eyes to meet icy blue orbs.

"Whoa, are you okay?" Saru asked, already kneeling next to Yata. Yata's face turned a brilliant red and he gave a shaky chuckle.

"Y-Yeah. What are you doing here?" Yata stumbled over his words, both surprised and ecstatic at the same time.

"There's fish on today's menu so I was going somewhere else to eat," Saru replied with a hint of annoyance. "Why are you out here?"

"My friends were bugging me so I was hiding out," Yata mumbled, still slightly red in the face.

"Wanna come with?" Saruhiko asked while standing up. Yata hesitated, looking down to his shoes.

"Just lunch. We'll come back in time for next class," Saru added, though begrudgingly. Yata thought for a moment.

"Sure," he replied, getting up and feeling a little dizzy.

"We'll put ice on your bump," Saru said with a slight smirk. Yata scowled, but didn't reply. He walked beside Saruhiko in silence, thinking about what a strange coincidence this was. He wondered what made him choose to 'hide out' today, what made Saruhiko choose today to get lunch out of school, and wondered if it really was just a coincidence. He glanced over to the raven head, who looked more comfortable than yesterday. In that moment he thought, _Damn that test_.-

Saruhiko slept more than his usual two or three hours because of his exhaustion from the night and day before. He always thought sleeping to be such a waste of time, time that could be used for useful things like improving his specialties with computers. The fact that it was Friday didn't give him comfort like his fellow students either. Fridays meant two whole days of being in Scepter 4, and now Saru was actively trying to avoid Reisi. He wanted to skip Sunday altogether, but there really was no way out of his "special training".

So as his classes dragged on that morning, his thoughts circled around Yata. He did a little research on him this morning, but nothing surprising had come up. His mother had died when he was still very young, and his father disappeared after that, leaving him in the care of his only living relative: Mikoto Suoh. It seemed Mikoto had help in raising Yata; Izumo Kusanagi took care of most of Yata's finances and school. When Mikoto was chosen as the Red King, it seemed nothing had changed until Yata merged as the youngest clansman in the Red Clan.

When lunch came around, Saruhiko didn't even have to enter the cafeteria to know there was some kind of fish on the menu; the stench of it caught his nose in the halls. Saru let out an annoyed sigh and glared towards the sky to blame someone, leaning against a wall to avoid contact with anyone. He thought about going to his usual spot in case Yata happened to look for him today, but he was slightly hungry.

So when Saru found Yata sitting like a little child curled up against the wall, his stomach flew to his throat. He honestly didn't mean to surprise Yata so suddenly and felt himself visibly cringe when Yata hit his head. But to have the forty minutes with Yata was such a surprise that Saru couldn't help feeling content.

"Where do you want to go?" he asked Yata when they got to the street. He had planned on just getting a soda and a bag of chips, but didn't mind in the least going where ever Yata felt like. Yata looked left and right, and Saru watched him as the chestnut thought.

"Ramen sounds good," Yata responded, going left. A small chuckle left Saruhiko.

"You do like your soup," Saru mused playfully. Yata glanced at him with a small smile, gently shoving him with his shoulder. This made Saruhiko do something he couldn't remember doing: he laughed. Saru stopped for a moment, looking at Yata in awe. Yata didn't notice; he was watching where he was going on the very crowded sidewalk. Saru's face flushed, realizing that this Red clansman made him _happy._

They arrived at the ramen stand that Yata wanted, Saru still slightly lost in his thoughts. He saw soda and that's all he wanted at the moment, but made sure to get a cup of ice for Yata's head. Yata got his ramen and went to sit at a nearby bench, Saru following him. He gave Yata the cup of ice, which he held to his head while letting his ramen cool.

"Let me see your phone," Saru said suddenly. Yata looked at him curiously.

"Just trust me," he added, holding out his hand. Yata obeyed, but still looked at him through slightly narrowed eyes. Saruhiko went to work: adding a program, removing a hidden service, making tweaks to the new program, then making that program encrypted on a less used server, then finally adding his email address as its only contact. He put Yata's phone on its home screen and held it so Yata could see it.

"I've created an email program that can only be used if you have a password, if a person can even find the program. So what you do is go to your email here, then click the trash folder. Click on this email that looks like an ad and it'll ask for a password. Once you create a password, it'll open the secondary and hidden email program I've made. Emails sent to and from this program can't be tracked back to your phone or to whoever you send an email to." Saruhiko explained this all simply, but Yata nearly dropped the cup of ice. Yata just sat there, looking from the phone to Saru, his mouth slightly open and his eyes wide. Saru began feeling slightly awkward.

"But you don't have to use-" he started.

"That is amazing! You did all that for me?" Yata exclaimed happily. Saru chuckled sheepishly.

"Well, yeah. Since we have to be so careful and all that," Saru shrugged.

"Wow, that is awesome Saruhiko!" Yata said while reaching for his phone. His hand paused when it got to the phone, Yata's fingers resting on Saruhiko's palm. Two seconds, three seconds, neither one of them moved. Five seconds, both of them stared at their touching hands. Seven seconds and they finally looked up to make eye contact. Yata's face was slowly turning red and Saruhiko was holding his breath. A few more moments and Saru squeezed Yata's fingers gently, pulling his hand away slowly as his face turned red also.


	6. Chapter 6 - I Want To Hold Your Hand

**(Hi hi guys! This chapter is just to freakin cute! Gawd these two are so adorable! Anyway, a note about the first song: I credited The Beatles because it is their song, everything about it is theirs. But the version that I personally enjoy listening to is by T.V Carpio from the Across The Universe soundtrack. Anywho, let me know what you think, as always!)**

**Chapter 6/ I Want To Hold Your Hand**

_"**Yeah, you, you've got that something, **_

_**I think you'll understand,**_

_**When I'll say that something,**_

_**I want to hold your hand."**_

_**I Want To Hold Your Hand – The Beatles**_

Yata didn't want to move his hand but when Saru moved his away Yata took his phone and put it back into his pocket. He stared at his ramen for a few moments, reliving what just happened. Saruhiko's hand gave him a cool, tingling sensation that made him feel relaxed and comforted in a way. It wasn't like Yata had a ton of experience in physical contact, but he was sure that Saruhiko's touch was unique and quite fascinating. Yata looked over to Saru to see the raven head looking very nervous for some reason. Yata sat observing him while he thought of what to say.

"Want to go to the arcade?" Yata asked gently, taking some noodles finally. Saru glanced at him with mild surprise.

"I thought you-" he started in response.

"I have a test in-" Yata tried.

"Then we should go-" Saru said quickly.

"Just hang on a second, Saruhiko," Yata said pointedly, searching for Saru's eyes. Saru finally stopped and looked at him. "I have a test in sixth class. So we have one class to hang out." Yata said with an encouraging smile. Saru looked like he was torn on what to say so Yata went to eat his noodles.

"Yeah, let's go." Saru finally replied. Yata felt immense relief at this but didn't want to show it so he just smiled.

Yata finished his ramen quickly while Saru sat next to him with his soda, looking down at his hands and sometimes glancing at Yata. Yata got up and Saru followed, much closer than yesterday with their arms brushing against each other. As they made their way to the arcade, Yata looked out into the crowds and froze.

"Shit! Come this way!" he said under his breath as he grabbed Saruhiko's wrist and darted back to where they were and turning into an alley. He ran until he found a dumpster and roughly dragged Saru down, hiding him with his body.

"What the hell?" Saru asked with concern and surprise, his head on Yata's chest and his hands keeping balance against the dumpster.

"Mikoto and a couple of the guys." Yata said between breaths. He could feel Saru tense at this and put his hand on Saru's shoulder.

"It's okay, I won't let them find us," Yata said gently. Saruhiko looked into Yata's eyes and nodded, nuzzling into his chest with a deep breath. Yata peeked around the dumpster. Mikoto and Izumo and two other clansmen had stopped at the same ramen stand he was just at. It looked like they were going to be there a while. Yata turned around to see the street behind him and mentally mapped out a course for them to take.

"Okay, we're going to have to stay against this wall. Keep low," Yata said gently, grabbing Saruhiko's hand and leading him into the street. From there they quickly made their way the direction they were originally headed, but Yata took Saru down another alley. They stopped at the next street over.

"Should be fine now." Yata said, leaning against the wall. He didn't let go of Saru's hand and Saru made no movement to let go either.

"We should go back to school though." Yata said with downcast eyes. He was looking forward to playing games and being with Saru at the same time, but it was a bit too risky if Mikoto was out and about already.

"I don't want to." Saru responded a moment later.

"I don't either. But if Mikoto is out then the rest of the clan is too." Yata said, looking up to Saruhiko's face. Saru's hand went limp in Yata's, but he didn't let go.

"We'll hang out in the back of the gym, okay?" Yata offered. Saruhiko nodded and Yata finally let go of his hand. As he took the lead back to the school, all he could think about was holding Saruhiko's hand again.-

* * *

Saruhiko was having trouble in comprehending what was going on. He felt like his mind was in a sound proof room, locked away behind padded walls and trying to find a way out. His heart was a different story; feeling like it had just completed a skydive and landed in mountains covered in flowers. Feeling Yata's heat off his chest made Saru want to curl up and sleep. His heartbeat was strong and comforted Saru. When Yata held his hand so tightly, Saruhiko felt the rest of the world become background noise and all that mattered was he was connected to Yata.

But when Yata said to go back to school, Saruhiko suddenly felt little cracks in everything around him, threatening to shatter his whole world. The past few minutes of perfection faded away like smoke and Saru felt angry at Mikoto for ruining it. Although Yata was trying to find a way to extend their time together Saruhiko knew it wouldn't compare to what he just experienced. He could feel two sides of himself colliding already about how to handle Yata, or his feelings for Yata. In his black and white world of his perfect bubble, Yata was slowing changing what Saruhiko had built his whole life with an uncontrolled fire of red and passion and happiness.

When they got back to the school Saruhiko chose the back wall to sit against, his legs outstretched and hands resting in his lap. Yata took a seat next to him, their shoulders touching. Saru debated on talking about their physical contact, wondering if he was making too much of it.

"Are you busy on the weekends?" Yata asked after several moments of silence. Saru let out a long sigh.

"Not usually. But my dad has me busy this Sunday night." he grumbled with a scowl. Yata raised an eyebrow.

"He wants to start training me to be a high ranking officer in Scepter 4." Saru explained with a roll of his eyes.

"Aren't you leaving before that though?" Yata asked curiously. Saruhiko clicked his tongue.

"He found out about that and made it pretty clear that there would be huge trouble if I left. Basically can't do anything on my phone without him knowing." Saruhiko said looking over to Yata.

"So then we can't email each other?" Yata's voice had sadness in it. Saru let out a chuckle at this.

"I made the program I gave you, so that means I have it too, idiot." Saru responded. It took a second for Yata to understand this but he playfully punched Saru's arm.

"Stop calling me an idiot." Yata growled but had a smile on his face. Saru gently shoved him with his shoulder.

"But you are." he responded with a smirk. The bell rang and Yata looked down at his watch.

"We officially have one class. What do you want to do?" Yata asked. Saruhiko looked down to his hands. What he wanted to do was talk about where he stood with Yata, if he was just making things up in his head. As he thought about his options, Saru began feeling nervous again. Considering that he never had a friend in his life, he didn't know if how he felt was right or not. He didn't know the first thing about social relationships and didn't know how to go about asking how they worked. Saru didn't notice that while he was thinking, Yata had been observing him.

Without any warning, Yata laid down with his head in Saruhiko's lap.-

* * *

_"**Whatever makes you happy,**_

_**whatever you want,**_

_**You're so fucking special,**_

_**I wish I was special."**_

_**Creep – Radiohead**_

Something about Saruhiko made Yata ignore what logic he had. His stomach fluttered every time they touched, he wanted the raven head to never stop talking because everything he said was pretty amazing, and he wanted time to stop so that he could feel like nothing was wasted when they were together. During this thought Yata realized that his feelings went beyond friendship, a tingle crawling up his spine as he confirmed it. Yata didn't know how relationships worked and never had anyone to talk to about it. Izumo had a women under his arm every weekend, and couples in school ranged from straight to gay to anything in between. Being in a relationship had never mattered to Yata and he thought them to be a little pointless. But the way he felt when he was around Saruhiko wasn't pointless, that much Yata did understand.

So when he laid his head in Saruhiko's lap, it was Yata's way of breaking a barrier set by society and the world of clans. He looked at Saruhiko for a reaction and wasn't surprised in the least: Saru was looking down at him with shock, his breathing had become shallow.

"You're really skinny. You should eat more." Yata commented with comfort. Saru didn't respond, seeming lost with Yata's movement. Yata didn't mind, Saru's silence didn't make him uncomfortable in the least. What was usual for Yata wasn't the case when it came to Saruhiko and although the change was slightly drastic, Yata welcomed something new and exciting. Yata thought back to how his day started and wanted to laugh. Somehow being with Saruhiko had made his bad mood disappear.

"So what is training like?" Yata asked, his eyes closing and his whole body relaxing. It took a few moments for Saru to respond.

"I don't know what he has planned but my past training has been mostly in hand to hand combat or learning to fight with a sword. I've had to learn the history of Scepter 4 and what is known about the first Blue King, then a little bit about the Dresden Slate." Saru answered, his head leaning back on the wall so he was looking toward the sky. Yata thought about this, comparing it to how he learned how to be a Red clansman. What was considered "training" for him was Mikoto telling him how to use and control the Red power and then Yata learning how to fight. Izumo had helped Yata with defense in which they had discovered Yata was best with blunt weapons like pipes and baseball bats. Yata tried to imagine fighting with a sword and just couldn't picture it. He wasn't one for precision and didn't see how battle could be precise at all.

"What's on your mind?" Saruhiko's voice floated into Yata's thoughts like a cloud. Yata opened one eye to see Saru looking at him with interest.

"I was trying to imagine fighting with a sword like Scepter 4 does. I don't think I'd be very good at it." Yata said comfortably, a small chuckle leaving him.

"No, I'd imagine you're good with fist fighting" Saru replied thoughtfully with a smirk. Yata wanted to respond but was too comfortable. Instead he fell asleep with a contented sigh.-

* * *

Saruhiko had found his cloud nine in the moments he had been with Yata today, but had no idea how to continue. He found himself confused on where to put his hands with Yata's head in his lap, so he settled with them resting at his back. When Yata dozed off, Saru froze. There was no way Yata could be so comfortable on his boney legs to fall asleep. He shifted his weight a little bit and sure enough, Yata didn't change his sleeping form. Saruhiko could only stare at Yata, completely confused on what to do. For trying to make the most out of their time together Yata sure was leaving him alone quite easily. But when Saru stared at Yata he couldn't help but feel like him sleeping was a way to show Saru that he trusted him. He stole a glance at Yata's watch: they had about twenty minutes left before next class.

Saruhiko wanted to wake Yata up but his hand stopped on Yata's head. Almost on instinct Saru began petting Yata's hair gently. Yata smiled a bit and nuzzled even more into Saruhiko's lap. _I can't wake him yet. _He thought to himself. So he continued to play with Yata's hair and rested his head on the wall.

Where was this going exactly? This couldn't be a friendship, right? From what Saru had observed in society only close friends or lovers acted this way. But as Saruhiko sat there he came to the conclusion that labels didn't matter to him and he hoped they didn't matter to Yata either. Actually, Yata was obviously okay with crossing unjustified invisible lines otherwise he wouldn't be here now. It was after-all Yata who had pursued Saruhiko, going as far as to stay in a bathroom with him and skipping class with him and risking getting in trouble to befriend "an enemy". _"It's kind of stupid that I shouldn't talk to you just because you're a Blue." _Saru heard Yata's voice from the first time they met. A small smile graced Saru's features at this thought.

He glanced at Yata's watch again. Less than ten minutes left. Saru grumbled and glared at the watch like it was the objects fault. He didn't want Yata to leave, he didn't want to wake Yata from his slumber, and he certainly didn't want to spend two whole days away from Yata. But he had made a deal with Yata and he would stick to his word. He petted him for a few more moments and thought about how to wake him up. Saru resorted to poking Yata's cheek gently. It took half a minute until Saru got a low grunt in response.

"Yata," Saru said gently, still poking Yata's cheek. Yata mumbled incoherently.

"Time to wake up," Saru continued in a sing songy voice.

"Mmm, five more minutes." Yata replied in a sleepy voice.

"The bell is going to ring soon." Saru said slightly more louder. Yata grumbled and yawned, opening one of his eyes. He seemed a little confused by his surroundings. When he locked his eye with Saru's, both his eyes opened in surprise.

"Hey sleepy head." Saru said playfully, the corners of his mouth twitching with a smile that he was obviously fighting. Yata gave a surprised gasp and shot up to a sitting position quickly, his face taken over by a blush.

"I..I-" he stammered, speech failing him horribly.

"It's okay." Saruhiko said with a shrug. It seemed like Yata couldn't quite meet his gaze. He gave a chuckle and stretched, standing up and holding out his hand to help Yata up. Yata stared for a moment before accepting. The bell rang.

"Guess that's our cue." Saruhiko said with a touch of sadness.

"Today was fun." Yata croaked sheepishly, shoving his hands in his pockets while shuffling his feet.

"The past two days have been fun." Saru responded with half a smile. He locked eyes with Yata, burning that hazel color into his memory. He fought the urge to grab the boy and embrace him, to take in his scent and heat. Yata stopped for a moment as if debating something in his mind, but blushed furiously and ran into the gym without another word. Saruhiko stood dumbstruck until the bell rang again, wrenching him from his confusion and making him move to his next class.


	7. Chapter 7 - Through Glass

**(Hey there guys! I am so sorry this chapter took so long to get out. My muse left fairly abruptly and left me on the side of road, bruised and battered. Just kidding! But it did leave me, so this chapter was pretty hard to get out. But once it came back and I smacked it around a bit, we got this done, lmao. Anyway, thank you waiting! And as always, let me know what you think! I want to see if I got a certain point across in this chapter!)**

**Chapter 7/ Through Glass**

"_**How do you feel?**_

_**That is the question**_

_**But I forget you don't expect an easy answer"**_

_**Through Glass – Stonesour**_

"**Hey Saruhiko, I'm sorry about earlier. Guess I was just embarrassed for falling asleep on you. Have my friends over and we've been playing video games all night. They cheat too but not like you do, lol. Anyway I'm sure you're already asleep so you won't get this until morning. Hope to hear from you soon."**

After hours of playing video games and pretending everything was fine, Yata sent this email at one in the morning. He had fun, but everything wasn't fine in his head. He had been going over how much of an idiot he had been when he left Saruhiko earlier that day and wondered if Saru ended up mad at him for his actions. He didn't want to seem too desperate, so he waited as long as he could stand to email Saru; the quiet of his room with his peers around him had finally broke him. But even in all this, his excuse was both a cover up and a lie because Yata wasn't ready to admit that what he really wanted was to leave the raven head with a kiss.

That email started quite a long conversation between the two that gave Yata something to do that weekend besides visit with clan members. Yata had opened up about what he knew of his parents and how life was with the Red Clan. In turn, Saruhiko admitted his peculiar and slightly rude opinion of people and the general population, which made Yata blush with the feeling of being special to Saru. As expected Izumo kept Yata out of clan activities other than staying in the bar, and Yata finally vented his frustration.

"**You know, one thing I absolutely hate is people worrying about me. Both Mikoto and Izumo worry, obviously, but Izumo is more open about it. I got hit in a fight the other day and now Izumo has basically grounded me to the bar. I get where he's coming from but sometimes I just want to be on my own."**

Yata sent this rather out of the blue while he was waiting for Izumo and Mikoto, who were out helping a shop owner repair damage that had been done last night. Yata was with a couple of clan members at the bar, though no one was doing anything but playing around on their phones. Yata was restless, feeling caged and overlooked. Saruhiko hadn't left his mind unless Yata was sleeping, and he was growing more anxious about the situation with each minute that passed. He really wanted to tell someone, get opinions on how a relationship worked, maybe even see who didn't mind the idea of Yata liking a boy. But he couldn't turn to anyone in his group, since they were at school with him. He knew Mikoto would be a waste of time.

The door to the bar opened and Mikoto sauntered in, Izumo close behind him.

"Come on, we're going out for dinner tonight," Izumo stated as he went behind the bar to start locking everything up. Yata raised his eyebrows slightly in response then glanced at Mikoto, who looked very bored and not interested in going out for dinner at all. Yata went upstairs to get his shoes and left with Izumo and Mikoto.

One benefit to going out for dinner was Mikoto drank his unease of being in public away, so by the time dinner was over, Izumo basically had to carry the Red King back to the bar. It was just past seven when they put Mikoto to bed, Yata following Izumo back downstairs. Izumo poured Yata some juice and made himself a mixed drink.

"Izumo, you've had girlfriends, right?" Yata asked after a few moments of silence. Izumo chuckled lightly as he lit a cigarette and took a long drag before responding.

"Yes, I have had girlfriends. More than I care to admit, honestly." Izumo leaned on the bar with a small sigh.

"How can you tell when you want to make someone your girlfriend?" Yata asked with a small blush that didn't escape Izumo's sight. Izumo looked like he had been expecting a talk like this and he stared at Yata with interest.

"Well, depends on the girl. Sometimes it happens right away, sometimes it happens over time. Sometimes it's only a one way feeling. But what 'it' is can be different for each person. You just know that the girl is special somehow, makes you feel different than other girls make you feel." Izumo explained this lightly with a small smile on his face. Yata looked down to his juice and bit his lip nervously.

"How do you get the girl to be your girlfriend?" Yata continued, asking questions to prolong the discussion so he could think about how he was going to explain his questioning. Izumo laughed at this question, his eyes wandering like he was remembering something from a long time ago.

"Well, that's the tricky part. The first time I asked a girl out I was sweating beads the whole day. She was a girl from my last class, so I had all day to think about how horrifying a simple question was. By the time I talked to her, I could barely utter a word without stuttering or hide the fact that my whole body was shaking. I didn't have a lot of confidence back then, but no one does at that age. So I just told the girl that I liked her and wanted to be her boyfriend," Izumo finished with a shrug. Yata's eyes went a little wide at the mention of a boyfriend. His gaze fell as he tried to figure out how to say what he wanted to say.

"Have you always just liked girls?" Yata whispered, his throat tightening as each word came out. He couldn't bring himself to look at Izumo. Izumo narrowed his eyes slightly but then gave a knowing smile. He gulped the rest of his drink with one swig and began making another to busy his hands.

"Just girls? Mostly. I did have what I would call a fling with a boy after school one time. But no other boy has caught my interest since then," Izumo said lightly, trying to not sound judgmental in case Yata said what he was expecting him to say. To his surprise, Yata didn't respond. Izumo finished making his drink and stood right across from Yata at the bar. Yata's face had flushed and he seemed nervous.

"It doesn't matter who you like, Yata. As long as they make you happy and don't break your heart; whoever the person is, they'll be fine in my book," Izumo said after a few minutes of silence between the two. Yata's head snapped up at this with surprise. Izumo patted Yata's hand gently and gave him an encouraging smile.

"I think I like a boy," Yata whispered.-

* * *

Saturday had proved to be quite annoying for Saruhiko. A powerful Strain had been discovered and Reisi requested for Saru to join him in apprehending the Strain. Although it wasn't the first time and Saru knew it was 'training,' he always felt awkward when he went places with Scepter 4. Plus, he would rather stay home and keep talking with Yata, especially with the last message he had received about people worrying about him. Saru had a fairly thought out response, but obviously couldn't take the time to respond in the current situation.

Right now, Saruhiko was sitting in Reisi's van with the Blue King, his second in command Seri Awashima, and four other officers. Saru always felt out of place being the only one out of uniform, and the men always acted so strange when they were around Reisi. Seri was a stiff woman, basically everything Saruhiko wasn't: strict, formal, dedicated, trusting, and fierce. Needless to say, Saru avoided her at all costs if he could.

"Tell us what we know, Lieutenant," Reisi said from his chair at the front of the table. Seri nodded and an image popped up over the table.

"Strain is a young male, early twenties. Local authorities were contacted by his girlfriend. Her claims are he started breaking things in their apartment by just touching them. She said he asked her to lock him in the bathroom," Seri explained while everyone looked at pictures of a male, a female, and the location they were heading to. Saru wanted to roll his eyes. He knew how this would go: a perimeter would be set up around the building, Seri would get the girlfriend for any viable information, then her and Reisi would get the Strain. Reisi would have Saruhiko watch from a distance in case the Strain put up a fight. Saru's safety had always been a concern of Reisi's, and in turn, it meant it was a concern of Septer 4.

"Ms. Awashima, I would like Saruhiko to come with us this time," Reisi stated gently. Both Saru and Seri snapped their heads up at this to meet Reisi's glittering violet eyes.

"But sir-" Seri started.

"I won't think-" Saruhiko tried.

"Lieutenant, I do believe that with you and I there, Saruhiko won't come to harm Saruhiko, consider this the beginning of your special training," Reisi interrupted them both with a gentle smile. Seri nodded, but glanced over at Saru with concern. Saru clicked his tongue and gave a defeated sigh.

When they arrived Saruhiko stayed close to Reisi, mostly because he was a little nervous. He knew Reisi wouldn't let anything happen to him but he still felt on edge because these situations are all very unpredictable.

"I know this is sudden, but I do believe you are ready for it," Reisi said calmly while they waited for Seri to get the girlfriend. Saru glanced at him to find a content grin on his face.

"He is going to be scared and probably thinks that he is in trouble. I will have you and Seri talk him down until he is ready for us to transport him to HQ," Reisi continued. Saru couldn't help letting a scoff escape, which was met with a raised eyebrow.

"You know I'm not good with talking to people," Saruhiko pointed out in a mumble. A low chuckle could be heard from the Blue King.

"That is something that you will have to get over in the next ten minutes," Reisi replied lightly, his eyes showing amusement. Saru wanted to punch that smug look off the Blue King's face, but huffed and crossed his arms instead. The two sat in a thick silence until Seri appeared with a shaken and emotional girl.

"Sir, this is Annalee. Her boyfriend's name is Bryant. Annalee, why don't you tell them what you told me?" Seri said firmly, but gently. Annalee gulped and sniffled, looking between Saru and Reisi with frightened eyes.

"W-w-e both had the day off s-s-so after we f-finished cleaning w-we were going to relax and watch a m-movie. B-b-but when h-h-" she stopped to take a breath.

"Bryant was m-m-moving a box w-when it just-" she choked on a fresh sob. Seri put a hand on Annalee's shoulder.

"It just shattered!" she exclaimed between tears, hiding her face with her hands and leaning fully on Seri. Seri looked awkward for a moment, but began leading Annalee to one of the vans.

"Very well then. Saruhiko, come with me," Reisi said in an even tone after watching the retreating the girl. Saru kept his face calm, but swallowed hard as he followed the Blue King into the apartment. It was a small place, with only a couch and a table. Saruhiko took notice of a set of kitchen knives on the end of the counter.

"Let me speak with him first," Reisi said quietly but cautiously. Saru nodded and leaned on the counter as he watched Reisi take two strides to the bathroom door and gently knocked. A yelp of surprise could be heard from the bathroom.

"Bryant? My name is Reisi Munakata. I've come here to help," Reisi said loud enough for the man to hear him without raising his voice.

"H-help!? You mean lock me away like a freak!" was the response. Saru raised an eyebrow. Reisi took a breath.

"We have no reason to lock you away, Bryant. We are here for your safety and the safety of others," Reisi responded with an even tone. There were a few moments of silence before a shatter could be heard, sounding like the sink or the toilet. Reisi stepped back putting a hand on his sword, blocking Saruhiko from the bathroom door.

"No! Dammit! Wha-" the sentence wasn't completed as the bathroom door splintered like an explosion.-

* * *

"_**Ever since I found you,**_

_**I wanna be around you**_

_**I wanna get down to the point that I need you."**_

_**Wondering – Good Charlette**_

Yata took a shaky breath. He had finally said it. For as much as he didn't want to, Yata met Izumo's gaze. Izumo didn't have a hint of negativity towards Yata's confession. Yata let out a sigh.

"I don't want anyone to know yet. And it's been hard to hang out with him because my friends surround him at school. It makes me feel like I won't be able to even get a chance to make it into something more," Yata said in a defeated tone. Izumo gave a soft laugh.

"I understand why you want to keep it a secret. Do you have any classes with him?" Izumo asked. Yata shook his head, though he was surprised Izumo hadn't asked the boy's name.

"Even if I did, there is at least one of my friends in each of my classes." Yata's defeated tone became more apparent. Izumo raised an eyebrow in thought.

"How much do you like this boy?" Izumo asked. Yata gave a nervous laugh with a blush taking his cheeks.

"Well I've only known him for a couple days, but I can't get him out of my head. My stomach flutters and my throat dries up and I get shivers down my spine. And I trust him and he trusts me," Yata started rambling. Izumo watched Yata as he spoke, a content smile resting on his features. Yata had always been a happy kid, though had Mikoto's short temper. But this happiness was new, different, and slightly amusing to the blonde.

"But like I said, I have classes with friends and my group gets all weird if I don't hang out with them for lunch," Yata finished his ramble with a gulp of his juice.

"I think I can help you out a little," Izumo said thoughtfully while lighting another cigarette. Yata raised an eyebrow.

"Tell your friends that you're having lunch with me. If anyone asks why just tell them I'm training you or having you help me out or something," Izumo finished with a shrug. Yata's face lit up.

"Really? You're okay with that?" Yata asked with excitement. Izumo nodded.

"Wow! Thank you Izumo!" Yata exclaimed, his emotions completely changing. Izumo smiled into his drink. Making Yata happy with something so simple brought the blonde joy that would compare to a parent.

Yata stepped down from his bar stool and walked behind the bar. Izumo was very tall, especially compared to Yata, so when Yata went in for an unexpected hug, Yata's face barely touched Izumo's chest. Izumo stopped for a moment out of surprise, but relaxed instantly, patting Yata on the head while squeezing him with his other arm.

"Thank you," Yata whispered. Izumo laughed gently.

"No problem kid," he responded.

Yata let go with a smile and went upstairs taking two steps at a time. He felt like a huge weight had been lifted and he couldn't wait to tell Saruhiko. But when he closed his bedroom door, Yata stopped. How could he tell Saru? Yata wasn't ready to say he liked him. He would have to deal with that when it came up. He turned on one of his systems and pulled out his phone.

"**Speaking of worried, I got hurt today. Not bad, just a scratch, honestly. Reisi had me help him with a Strain today and well... anyway. He told me to stay home from school on Monday but I think he just feels bad. Decided to get a set of throwing knives, what do you think?"**

Yata paused. What could have happened to have Saru get hurt? Yata didn't really know how to respond so he just sat for a few minutes. Saruhiko going in on a Strain sounded dangerous and Yata wondered what could make the Blue King think Saru was ready for that. Yata went to reply.

"**You said it's just a scratch but the Blue King wants you to stay home. Are you sure it's nothing serious? Can you at least tell me what happened?"**

Yata turned a game on just for something to do as he waited.-

* * *

Saruhiko threw his hands up and crouched down to shield himself from the wood splinters. Reisi raised his aura as a shield also but didn't draw his sword. When everything settled Reisi tilted his head back to the side but kept his eyes forward.

"Are you hurt, Saruhiko?" Reisi asked in a concerned tone. Saru fell gently on one knee to move his body and grunted in pain, his hand moving to his side.

"Looks like he has a cut on his right side, sir." Seri popped out of nowhere it seemed, and Saru jumped slightly.

"Get him out of here, Lieutenant." Reisi stated.

"No! I'm finishing this," Saruhiko hissed with a glare to the Blue King. He stood up slowly, hand still at his side, and looked over to where the Strain was. Bryant was sitting on the floor, gasping with emotion as he his eyes landed on Saruhiko's bloody side.

"You coming with us now?" Saruhiko said with clenched teeth and narrow eyes. Reisi raised an eyebrow and Seri stood next to Saru. Bryant looked between the three people and nodded his head like his life depended on it. Seri let out a breath she had been holding. Bryant moved to pull himself up, but drew his hand back as a knife sunk into the wall that he was going to grab.

"Don't touch anything," Saruhiko growled, his free hand out stretched to show he had thrown the knife. Bryant whimpered, but Saru was done with this situation. He turned and left the apartment with Seri at his heels.

"Medic!" Seri called sharply. Saru clicked his tongue in annoyance and looked down at his wound. His gash was only a few inches in length, about a centimeter deep. A man rushed to Saru's side and led him to a different van than the one he came in.

"It's just a scratch," Saruhiko grumbled as the man sat him down and pulled up his shirt to look at the wound.

"It is. But you have splinters surrounding the cut. Lie on your side, please," the man replied. Saru sighed with annoyance, but obeyed, gritting his teeth as his skin pulled.

"This is probably going to hurt," the man said. Saruhiko closed his eyes to prepare himself.

"What's going on?" the Blue King's deep voice came from somewhere, worry riddled in his words.

"Just some splinters," Saruhiko said loud enough for Reisi to hear.

"Check his whole body, please." Reisi ordered. Saru grumbled at this, but didn't have the energy to argue. The adrenaline that pushed him earlier was gone and Saruhiko felt sore, like he had pushed a boulder by himself and a headache was creeping up from his shoulders.

It had taken nearly twenty minutes before the medic was satisfied that he had gotten every splinter. Reisi stayed near the van giving orders when needed. When the gash had been cleaned and dressed and Saru sat up, he saw only the medic, Reisi, and one officer were left.

"Alright, he's ready to go home," the medic stated. Reisi's calm features remained as he nodded and stepped into the van, sitting across from Saruhiko. The officer closed the door and the medic took the passenger seat up front.

"Well that was fun," Saruhiko said with heavy sarcasm. His eyes met the Blue King's purple orbs, which were dark with frustration. Saru was taken aback slightly and dropped his gaze. There could be no way Reisi would be mad at him, he didn't do anything wrong. They sat in silence the whole way back to HQ, Saru finally pulling out his phone to give himself something to do. As he made his way back to his room he didn't take notice of anyone around him. When he went to close his door, it was stopped by the Blue King's hand.

"Saruhiko." Reisi's deep voice seemed troubled. Saru's eyes met his with question.

"I'm sorry about today. You weren't ready," Reisi stated. Saruhiko paused for a moment before he chuckled. Reisi raised an annoyed eyebrow.

"It's just a scratch. If it wasn't today, then it would have been another Strain or fight or whatever. I'm prepared to get hurt in this line of work. It's fine," Saru shrugged. Reisi took a breath to begin arguing, but Saru held up his hand to stop him.

"If you're going to worry like this for every mission, then maybe I shouldn't join Scepter 4," Saruhiko pointed out. Reisi paused.

"You have a point. Very well then. But rest. I'll have dinner brought up to you. Training will be postponed until Wednesday. And you can stay home on Monday. Actually, I would prefer if you stayed home," Reisi said this as he gained his usual stance back. Saru nodded and went to close the door again. But Reisi stepped forward and grabbed Saruhiko around the shoulders and hugged him. Saru was too surprised to move. The last time he had been hugged was when he was still a child. Without another word, the Blue King turned and walked away, leaving Saruhiko dumbstruck in his doorway.


	8. Chapter 8 - Everlong

**(Hey there guys! So I'm sure some of you are like... this is all fluff, where is the angst?! I've found part of the angst. Let me know what you think!)**

**Chapter 8/ Everlong**

"_**Breathe in, so I can breathe you in**_

_**Hold you in."**_

_**Everlong – The Foo Fighters**_

After hearing what happened to Saruhiko, Yata couldn't wait for Monday to arrive. Izumo seemed to be a little different around him but Yata, figured it was because they now shared a secret. So before he went to bed Sunday night, Yata sent Saru a message.

"**If you are going to be at school, meet me in our spot behind the gym at lunch."**

Surprisingly he didn't receive a response. Nonetheless, he woke up excited and full of energy the next morning.

"I don't think I've ever seen you so rushed to go to school," Izumo noted while watching Yata shovel milk, rice, and sugar down like he was late for school. This made Yata pause with slightly wide eyes, which was met with a chuckle from the blonde.

"It's okay. I get it. You're just lucky that your uncle doesn't do the morning routine cause he would probably ask you questions. Just be careful, alright?" Izumo looked a tiny bit concerned. Yata nodded and purposely slowed down eating the rest of his breakfast.

If Yata was a person to wear his heart on his sleeve, his friends would have seen shaky nerves, stuttering words, and sweat on his brow. But thanks to Izumo's past guidance, Yata was able to keep himself fairly normal throughout that morning; he was just a bit more energetic than usual, but he used the excuse of being healed from his injuries as a cover up. Finally, the bell rang for lunch and Yata jumped up from his seat.

"Hey what's the rush?" his friend asked in confusion. Yata paused then remembered he hadn't told his friends of his 'excuse'.

"Oh, I forgot to tell you guys. Mr. Kusanagi has decided to start taking me out to lunch," Yata explained while shoving his books into his bag.

"Oh cool! Well, have fun then!" the boy responded while leaving. Yata let out a relieved sigh and headed for the gym. It took a lot of restraint for him to not break out into a run. He finally made it and had to shield his eyes from the bright sun. Once his sight adjusted, he was disappointed to see no one waiting for him. He chose the back wall for shade to wait, pacing slightly with nerves. He hadn't even thought about what he was going to do if Saruhiko didn't show up; he just acted without thinking like he always had. Yata mentally slapped himself and clenched his fists out of frustration. If Saru didn't show up, he would be out of a meal and alone for forty minutes. He looked down at his watch. Thirty minutes were left.

"Aren't you the impatient one?" a smooth voice rang out that made Yata jump from surprise.

"Saru! You made it," Yata gulped, feeling like he had been caught doing something bad. Saruhiko gave a small smile.

"Of course I did," he responded lightly. Yata took a long look at Saruhiko and his eyes narrowed slightly. Saru was a little more pale than usual and had a tiny glisten of sweat on his forehead.

"Are you okay?" Yata asked with concern as he took steps closer to the raven head. Saruhiko rolled his eyes slightly and clicked his tongue.

"I re-opened my gash sometime while I was sleeping," Saru mumbled.

"Let me see," Yata said, standing right in front of Saru now. Saru scoffed.

"Just let me look. I'll be able to tell if your dressing needs changing," Yata said pointedly.

"And if it does?" Saruhiko responded with slight annoyance.

"Then I'll take you to the nurse," Yata crossed his arms and glared. Saru rolled his eyes but lifted his shirt anyway. Yata paused for a moment, surprised that he had listened and slightly shocked by what he saw. For as thin as Saruhiko was, he wasn't lacking in muscle. Although his ribs could be seen, his stomach was flat and a little toned. Yata's eyes fell on the bandage of Saru's wound. There was a thin line of dried blood but the wound wasn't currently bleeding.

"Looks fine now, but you should clean and change the bandage today," Yata concluded, unfolding his arms and tracing the wound with a very light touch. Neither of the boys moved except to lock eyes for a very few, yet very long moments. Yata finally stood up straight and cleared his throat, his cheeks giving away a slight blush.

"So... we don't have a lot of time left..." Yata started awkwardly, his hand scratching the back of his head. Saru shrugged.

"I can skip next class if you want to," Saru responded. Yata nodded and smiled, leading the way to the alley.-

* * *

Saruhiko had woken up in pain. He honestly didn't feel like going to school, but didn't want to stand Yata up. So he took some aspirin with him to school and dealt with the pain, along with the annoying lectures. His teacher in his last class before lunch held Saru back to tell him he had to make up a test before the end of the week. All in all, Saruhiko's morning wasn't great.

But when worry and concern were showed on Yata's face, everything that had happened that morning melted away like ice on a fire. Seeing how upset Yata was about him being hurt made Saru feel like he was the only person in Yata's world. Not needing to go to the nurse or to his next class added to Saruhiko's unusual happiness.

"Where do you want to eat today?" Saru asked while stepping in line with Yata. The shorter male thought for a moment.

"A burger and fries sound good. That okay with you?" Yata responded.

"Yeah that's fine," Saru said with a small grin. He still didn't know the area very well, so he followed Yata.

"What's your full name?" Saru asked a bit randomly. Yata glanced over at him with a blush, which Saru met with a curious look.

"I... well... I don't like my name," Yata answered awkwardly, his pace increasing slightly.

"So you're going to keep it a secret?" Saruhiko asked. In all honesty, he already knew the name from when he researched Yata last week and knew why Yata didn't want to say. But Saru was testing the waters right now.

"Not a secret. Just..." Yata paused and grumbled a bit. The burger joint was in sight, but Yata was clearly torn on what to do. He stopped walking and gently put his hand on Saruhiko's shoulder, stopping him in his tracks.

"Do not say it with other people around or I will punch you in the face," Yata growled gently into Saru's ear, making a wave of goosebumps go through his whole body.

"Misaki," Yata whispered. With that, he quickly walked into the burger joint, leaving Saruhiko to giggle quietly. _Perfect, _Saru thought as he watched Yata's retreating form, a satisfied glisten in his blue eyes. Saru caught up to Yata just as he was being seated. The chestnut was clearly trying to pretend nothing had happened, which made Saru smirk.

"So are we just going to keep skipping class to hang out?" Yata asked while looking through the menu. Saru didn't bother with a menu; he always got the same thing when it came to burgers: plain and dry with extra fries and a coke. The raven head studied Yata for a few moments.

"That's up to you. I can keep decent grades without going to class. But I don't see you being able to do that," Saru responded bluntly, receiving a glare from Yata.

"How the hell would you know that?" Yata retorted. Saru shrugged.

"Just saying. idiot." Saru smirked. Yata huffed and kicked Saruhiko's shin under the table. Saru jumped and yelped but laughed.

"Ow! Now you're just proving my point!" he pointed out with a smirk. Yata went to kick him again, but Saru was expecting it this time so he folded his legs under him in the booth.

"Keep that up and we won't have to worry about hanging out," Yata grumbled. This made Saru frown. A young man arrived to take their order before Saru could respond.

"If lunch time is enough for you, we can hang out everyday, if you want." Yata said before Saruhiko could form words. Saru tilted his head in confusion.

"I've come up with a way to be away from my friends," Yata explained with a grin.

"But-" Saru started. _What if I want more? _He finished his question in his head, his gaze falling to the table.

"Don't worry about it right now," Yata's voice was suddenly gentle. Saru looked up to see a content smile on his face.-

* * *

"_**You walk in and my strength walks out the door,**_

_**Say my name and I can't fight it anymore."**_

_**The Right Kind of Wrong – Leann Rimes**_

Yata had told the raven his most embarrassing secret. Not even most of his friends knew. He knew Saruhiko wouldn't think it was a big deal, but he had no idea how much his hated his first name. Yata had tried more than once to convince both Izumo and Mikoto to change it, but both declined on each occasion.

"I don't get that privilege," Mikoto said the last time Yata asked.

"So what's your full name?" Yata asked while the pair were finishing lunch. Yata took note of how... _pathetic _Saru's meal looked in comparison to his. Saruhiko was a very picky eater.

"Saruhiko Fushimi," he answered with no trouble.

"Fushimi..." Yata mulled the name over.

"That's easier to say," Yata concluded.

"Not easier than Saru," the raven shot back.

"Monkey, huh?" Yata said with a playful smirk.

"Mis-" Saru tried, but was stopped by Yata pinching his hand on the table.

"Ah, okay!" Saru hissed, rubbing his hand with a grimace. Yata gave a playful 'hmph' while eating the last of his fries. He stole a glance at his watch.

"We have about twenty minutes left," Yata noted as he took the check from the young man who had arrived to clear their plates. Before the man could leave and before Saru could protest, Yata shoved enough money for the bill and a tip into the man's hand, who left with a bow. Saruhiko looked on in surprise.

"So what do you want to do?" Yata asked while getting up. Saruhiko followed and grimaced slightly, which brought Yata to his side instantly.

"Actually, let's get you back to school to lie down," Yata commented with concern. Saruhiko's reaction was a sigh.

"Come on, it'll be nice," Yata pushed in a gentle tone.

"Fine," Saru responded with annoyance.

Yata wanted to hold Saru up the whole way back, but settled with walking as close as he could. He took a seat where Saruhiko had last week and patted his lap. Saru obeyed silently, laying on his back with his head in Yata's lap so he could look at him. Yata felt like it was the perfect time to speak his mind.

"So..." he started, matching Saruhiko's icy blue orbs. His thoughts became jumbled, and he suddenly felt like he didn't know how to talk. He looked away to try to gain back his composure, but felt his face grow warm. The courage he had built up on the walk over here diminished like quicksand, and Yata tried to find _something _to say. A small panic washed over him, close to what he felt on Friday when he was saying goodbye. Yata stole a glance at Saruhiko and stopped.

"Are you asleep?" Yata asked with surprise. Saru sighed.

"No. Just comfortable," Saru answered, his eyes still closed. Yata was torn between feeling ecstatic that the raven was so comfortable and frustrated that he was tormented on saying how he felt while Saru was clearly not aware. In that moment Yata decided to keep his feelings to himself, partly because Saruhiko was so aloof and partly because Yata didn't want to make their final minutes together end awkwardly.

"Told you this would be nice," Yata commented gently, leaning his head back and closing his eyes. Saruhiko's response was snuggling into Yata's lap with a sigh of happiness.

_Maybe it doesn't need to be said, _Yata thought to himself with a grin.

Way sooner than Yata had expected the bell rang, which resulted in a groan from the both of them.

"Let's just stay here," Saruhiko grumbled, one eye opening to look at Yata. Yata wanted to say okay with every fiber of his being.

"If we miss too many classes, the school will call our guardians. And that will be really hard to explain," Yata said, rolling his eyes.

"How about I hack the school system?" Saruhiko asked with a thoughtful look. Yata's eyes widened, but he laughed it off.

"For as awesome as that sounds, let's just go to class," he said with a stretch and a yawn. Saru didn't respond as he stood up, Yata soon following. They stood there for a few moments before Saru stepped up and wrapped his arms around Yata's shoulders, hugging him gently. Yata responded on instinct, his hands snaking on Saruhiko's lower back.

"See you tomorrow, Misaki," Saru whispered into his ear before letting go and leaving.-

* * *

Saruhiko was actually very serious about hacking into the school computer system and that thought split into a couple different ideas. He could have both him and Yata appear to be present in all classes on any given day. He could also change either of their schedules so they shared classes together. Or he could even free up one period for each of them. But Yata's response left Saru wondering if there was something more about going to class for him. He made a mental note to ask him later.

That night Saruhiko kept his word to Yata about getting his dressing changed. He only ever had Reisi take care of his wounds, not that he had any since he was a kid, so after dinner he knocked on the Blue King's door.

"Enter," Reisi responded. Saru opened the door to see Reisi doing paperwork while eating. The Blue King's purple orbs lit up with both surprise and happiness.

"Saruhiko. I can't remember the last time you came to visit me on your own time. Is everything okay?" Reisi asked with slight concern. Saru felt his face grow warm with embarrassment.

"Well, yeah, I guess. It's my wound. I think it needs to be cleaned," Saru said sheepishly, closing the door and stepping closer to Reisi's desk. The raven head felt like a child all of a sudden.

"Ah, I see. Come sit." Reisi motioned to one of the chairs and walked over to the long cabinet to get his first aid kit. Saru obeyed and took his shirt off with a small sigh. Reisi came over and began work immediately, his eyes narrowed with concern. Saruhiko could feel the Blue King's guilt. It was like a tiny shadow in his aura. Saru didn't know how to comfort someone, especially his guardian, but he sure as hell didn't like seeing a weakness in the Blue King.

"What was your first injury?" Saru asked, trying to distract Reisi. Reisi paused from mild surprise.

"Oh my, such a memory. It was a fight with Mikoto, actually," the Blue King started while putting hydrogen peroxide on a cotton ball.

"Scepter 4 was responding to a call from the Gold King. The Green King was trying to access the Dresden Slate. One of the Red clansmen managed to get hurt, and Mikoto was told a Scepter 4 man was at fault. Being the hot headed idiot he is, Mikoto attacked me without thinking and managed to burn my leg in the scuffle," Reisi explained with an odd look on his face. Saruhiko thought of Yata at this statement.

"How do you guys decide to stop fighting?" Saruhiko asked with genuine curiosity. A small laugh left Reisi at this question.

"Well, to be honest, we just get tired and said we'd continue at a later time." The Blue King stiffened a bit at this.

"One of these days we will have to fight to end all fights," Reisi mused, mostly to himself with sadness touching his violet eyes. Saruhiko froze, his eyes wide with such a terrible thought. But the Blue King recovered quickly and smiled at him.

"Ah, let's talk of that another time. Tell me, how are you feeling?" Reisi's voice went back to normal. Saruhiko took a moment to answer, his mind distracted now.

"Uh... I'm fine, I think. It's starting to itch, so it's healing. Should be ready for training on Wednesday," Saru responded quickly.

"Good. Though we won't be doing any physical training so, you should be just fine. Alright, all done," the Blue King kept his smile as he threw away the used bandages and put his kit away. Saruhiko thanked him and left with a goodnight, but his thoughts were stuck on Reisi's comment. No matter how it was said, it boiled down to one thing: one of the two Kings had to kill the other. Before last week, Saruhiko would have just accepted that as an unavoidable fact. But now Yata was in his life. Yata, the Red King's nephew, the enemies' pride and joy. For as much as he didn't want to admit it, Saruhiko couldn't avoid knowing that one day either Reisi or Mikoto wouldn't walk away from a battle, and either him or Yata would be left with nothing but hate for the other.


	9. Chapter 9 - Give Me One Reason

**(Hey there guys! This is a big chapter and I just wanted to talk to you guys for a second. I know I'm not a writer that thanks every person that writes a review or explains things that happen in the story like "bold=text/email". I do that because I want you guys to get that on your own, and I you guys do! I also don't call out every person that writes a review because well... I don't feel like that's WHY you write the review, you know? So I just wanted to take a second to say THANK YOU SO MUCH! To EACH AND EVERY one of my reviews, followers, favorites, visitors, etc. I love this project with every fiber of my being and I couldn't have made it this far without you, my readers. Or my closest friend, St. Minority. Alright, enough of this horribly long author's note. _Please tell me what you think of this chapter_, I went on a HUGE rollarcoaster ride of emotions in this chapter and I just want to hear how it made you guys feel. See you next time!)**

**Chapter 9 / Give Me One Reason**

"_**Give me one reason to stay here,**_

_**And I'll turn right around,**_

_**Said I don't want to leave you lonely,**_

_**You got to make me change my mind."**_

**Give Me One Reason – Tracy Chapman**

Yata's anxiety didn't go away, and he felt like he was going insane. He had been ready to spill his guts, so he felt like everything he didn't say had multiplied in him and was ready to burst any minute. This led to Yata being testy and on edge; he ended up hiding himself in his room for the night. No one seemed to notice or care until he heard a knock on his door late that evening. Yata opened it to fined Izumo there.

"Hey, what's up?" Yata asked with slight concern. He stepped aside to let Izumo in, who entered and closed the door.

"Nothing. I'm just checking on you," Izumo said while he looked around Yata's room. Yata's eyes followed the blonde.

"Well I'm just finishing the last of my homework." Yata went to lie on his bed.

"Hmmm. I guess I was expecting you to be in a better mood tonight with how happy you were this morning," Izumo commented with a glance. Yata grumbled and clenched his fists.

"So I take it lunch wasn't good then?" Izumo asked gently as he took a seat on the bed next to Yata.

"It was great, actually," Yata said with a small smile. Izumo's brows furrowed with confusion, making Yata sigh.

"I was going to tell him today. But I froze. I couldn't even talk! So I'm just mad about that," Yata looked down at his shoes. Izumo couldn't help but laugh at this, making Yata very uncomfortable and offended.

"I'm sorry I'm laughing at you. I guess I never thought you would have a problem saying what's on your mind is all," Izumo recovered and put on a straight face with a clearing of his throat.

"So you're sure you want to tell him?" Izumo asked. Yata nodded.

"I already told you about my first time. Honestly, I think that's the best way. I know how scary it can be, thinking you'll get rejected or something. Hell, even if he feels the same way about you, it can be scary cause now you're at that next level that you know nothing about," Izumo talked quietly, running his hand through his hair like he was getting nervous.

"I didn't even think about what would happen if he liked me too," Yata's eyes grew wide at the thought. Izumo gave a stiff chuckle.

"Yeah, that part can get tricky. Had he given you any clues?" Izumo asked. Yata stopped for a moment then blushed.

"He hugged me today," Yata said with a grin. Izumo grinned back.

"Seems like you have nothing to worry about then," Izumo stated while getting up from the bed. Yata gave a sigh.

"I guess I'll let you know how it goes," Yata said while following him to the door.

"No matter what happens, I'll be here, okay?" Izumo said with a pat on Yata's shoulder.

The rest of that night Yata laid in bed trying to find the best way to say how he felt. He talked to himself, sighed to himself, even laughed at himself at one point. By the time he went to sleep he could only manage "I like you."

That morning Yata woke up more calm than he thought he would, full of a confidence he didn't know he had. Izumo didn't say anything about their conversation from last night, which actually helped Yata keep his cool.

When the bell rang for lunch, Yata came up with an idea at the last minute. He rushed to the cafeteria before it got too crowded to grab something for him and Saruhiko. Since Saru was such a picky eater Yata grabbed a bowl of rice and a soda for him. A wave of relief went through him as his eyes landed on the raven head when he stepped outside. Saru was leaning against the wall and had his eyes on his phone.

"Hey," Yata said with a smile and a rush of butterflies in his stomach. Saruhiko's head shot up and he gave a small grin.

"Figured we could have a picnic today," Yata explained while he took a seat. He handed Saru his rice and soda and began cooling off the ramen he got for himself.

"Oh, thanks," Saruhiko said with slight surprise, sitting cross legged across from Yata. Yata watched Saru for a few moments and felt confused. The raven head _felt _different today, like he was guarded.

"How is your injury?" Yata asked, hoping to get a better feel on Saruhiko if he talked.-

* * *

Saruhiko was left to wonder what he was going to do. The easiest route would be to quit seeing Yata, give no warning or reason. This would hurt them both and wasn't something he really thought would resolve anything. Then he thought that maybe he could slowly stop seeing Yata, try to make the end as painless as possible. But the raven head knew that he couldn't control himself when it came to Yata. Logic and restraint were just not an option when Yata was anywhere near him. So then Saruhiko wondered if maybe he could pretend to not know the terrible outcome the two boys faced. Maybe he could be as clueless as Yata and let their relationship take its course.

_To end all fights. _The Blue King's words echoed in his head, never stopping for a breath, never giving his brain rest. Even if he were to act clueless, he couldn't avoid the pain. If Reisi were to emerge from the last battle, Saruhiko wouldn't be able to face Yata ever again. With knowledge that it had been coming... knowing that the two Kings didn't see any other end...

He wanted out. Saru knew if he got out, he would be away from this world of Kings and their pointless battles. His life would be normal, or as normal as he could manage. He wouldn't have this overwhelming presence of the Blue King shadowing his every move, expecting him to pick up the mantle and lead an army of super-soldiers. But Reisi had made it clear as glass that this life was his only option, so now Saruhiko would have to find a way to not suffocate.

One final option he had was to talk to Yata about Reisi's mindset. But Yata was hot headed and thoughtless, acting and doing without reason. If Saru were to bring this subject up... well, he couldn't know for sure how Yata would react. Anger could be the best bet, though at who would be the largest unknown factor. Confusion was a huge possibility, in which Saruhiko could be of no help at all.

Saruhiko didn't sleep because of the stress he felt all through that night. He found comfort in being able to see Yata that day and since he hadn't decided on what to do, he thought continuing lunch with Yata wouldn't have any consequences. So besides being emotionally and physically worn out, Saru went about his day as normal as he could. When lunch time came around, the only thing the raven head worried about was showing his stress to Yata. Saru decided to pull a Reisi to deal with this: a type of stone poker face and careful consideration on how he would react to things, a guard on his emotions, and making sure to not start a personal conversation. Of course his body had other plans when his glacier orbs landed on Yata that afternoon, especially with Yata being sweet enough to bring lunch to him.

"Reisi cleaned my wound last night and it's not hurting, so I think everything will be fine," Saru answered in a non-caring way. He ate small bites of his rice, not exactly hungry but not wanting to ignore Yata's gesture.

"I'm glad to hear that. It would have sucked if it ended up infected. But I think our auras help fight that, right?" Yata was his usual carefree self, and it brought a prick of guilt to Saru's chest. His guard on his emotions was weak to start, and Yata's energy seemed to infect Saruhiko, making it harder not to feel.

"Yeah, I think I've heard that from one of my lessons. Where do you get your information?" Saru wanted Yata to stop asking questions. He focused on his food to try and stabilize his whirling head.

"Well, Mikoto tells me things sometimes, but he isn't very good at explaining things. So what he doesn't explain, Izumo ends up filling in. But since Izumo isn't directly connected to the Slate, he just tells me what he's learned and researched. But he helps me with a ton of other stuff too." When Yata finished, his face was showing a light shade of red and he seemed to be unsure of himself. Anxiety seemed to grow in the chestnut, and he didn't seem to hide his mood change. Saruhiko blinked a few times to make sure he wasn't imagining the drastic change in Yata. Yata cleared his throat and took in a shaky breath.

"So... I've been wanting to say something. I mean... I know I haven't known you for long. Or, well we haven't known each other for long. I..." he paused, seeming to get frustrated with himself.

"I like you. Well, that's obvious, right? I mean I like you, like a boyfriend. Not like a boy who is a friend. I like you and I want to be with you. I mean like more than hanging out. I want to be a couple. With you. And me. Together." Yata had stumbled over his words so much that it wouldn't have made sense to anyone else, but Saruhiko understood every word of it. He felt like he had been frozen in ice, the world blurring around him at light speed and he couldn't keep up. His mouth was slightly open and he couldn't remember the last time he took a breath or blinked. Saruhiko had no idea how to react.-

* * *

"_**Love just needs a witness and a little forgiveness,**_

_**And a halo of patience and a less sporadic pace**_

_**and I'm learning to be brave in my beautiful mistakes."**_

**Crystal Ball – P!nk**

Yata felt like he could walk on water. Or fly around the world at Mach speed. He did it! He told Saruhiko. It wasn't as well-put as he wanted it to be and wondered if anything had made sense. Saruhiko wasn't giving any clues that could be helpful to Yata either. Actually, the raven head was making Yata worry a bit right now.

"Saru?" he asked tentatively. Saruhiko jumped.

"I...eh...wow," Saru sounded shocked and out of breath. He took a long drink from his soda. Yata started fidgeting, his nerves getting the best of him. Saruhiko took a breath.

"Uh... okay. Yeah, okay," the raven head's voice cracked and he couldn't meet Yata's stare. Yata blinked a few times. _Okay? _He thought. What the hell was he supposed to make of that? But before he could respond the bell rang. Saru jumped to his feet, looking down to Yata with a brief look of pain on his face. Before Yata could stand up, Saruhiko disappeared into the gym.

"Oookaay...?" Yata said aloud, very confused and a little disturbed.

The rest of the day Yata had no choice but to avoid any thoughts on what had happened at lunch. He spent time with his friends and enjoyed himself for the most part. They had a group project to do, so they went to the bar to work on it. Mikoto was out with some of the clan, so Izumo was left to help the kids with questions and ideas. He fixed rice bowls with the choice of beef or chicken and everything seemed fine. While they were eating, one of Yata's friends brought out his laptop to start researching one of the ideas they had, and Yata thought of Saruhiko. His stomach churned and his appetite disappeared like a puff of smoke. Yata rolled his eyes and tried to pay attention to what his friend was doing, but was distracted by a string of pop up ads.

"Shit, I didn't mean to open that ad!" his friend complained. Yata thought of the program on his phone, where he had to open an "ad" to access the hidden email program that Saruhiko had made just for him. Yata's head spun at this, and he felt something break. The cup he was holding shattered in his hand and Yata looked down to see the glass melting from his aura that he engulfed himself in. He looked around to see his friends backing away in terror. Izumo jumped over the bar.

"Yata!" Izumo yelled, but it sounded buried in Yata's head. All Yata knew was Saruhiko had done so many special things to and with him, yet when it mattered most, he didn't say anything. If Yata clicked on a certain ad in a certain program, it would lead him to Saruhiko. But would he get his answer then, or would it be a string of questions to further infect Yata's mind? Not even Yata knew how angry he was about lunch today. Not until now. Now that he had faced what he had been pushing away.

A sharp sting on his cheek finally brought Yata out of the angry pit of flames he was stuck in. He took a sharp breath and his wide eyes met Izumo's hazel ones, which were dark with frustration and confusion and concern.

"Let's take a walk," Izumo ordered, roughly grabbing Yata's arm and dragging him to the door.

"You kids keep working. We'll be back," Izumo called out before the pair disappeared. Yata was in a daze, so he paid no attention to where he was being led. Only when he was pushed into a bench did he take a look around to see that he was in a park. Izumo was pacing in front of him.

"What the hell was that?!" Izumo growled, stopping to look down at Yata. Yata looked up to him and wanted to cry.

"I don't know. I'm sorry," Yata tried meekly. Izumo scoffed.

"You've never been a liar and don't you dare start now. Especially with me." Izumo had started to calm down, but his tone was dangerous. Yata looked down to his hands, guilt passing through him at Izumo's words. Out of everyone in his life, Izumo deserved the most honesty from Yata.

"I told him today," Yata finally spoke up after a few moments.

"And?" Izumo didn't miss a beat.

"And I don't know. He didn't really say anything. Except okay." Yata threw up his hands in confusion, his eyes pleading for Izumo to understand.

"So you shatter a glass and char one of my chairs?" Izumo said in an exasperated tone. Yata let out a frustrated groan.

"I'm sorry! I just lost it. Saruhiko is good-" Yata stopped with a gasp, covering his mouth. Izumo froze.

"Saruhiko... the Blue King's Saruhiko?" Izumo said slowly, cautiously. Yata closed his eyes tight and curled in on himself.-

* * *

Saruhiko was in a foul mood from the moment he'd left Yata. He mentally slapped himself and could only form curse words in his thoughts for the rest of the day. He really had no excuse for his actions and gave up trying to find one. Saru skipped his last class entirely and found troops preparing for night training when he finally arrived at Scepter 4.

"Lieutenant, I'd like to join combat training tonight," Saru commented to Seri as he passed her at the front doors. Seri raised her eyebrows in complete surprise and took a few moments to answer.

"If the captain clears you, meet me at the west field in thirty minutes," Seri replied, still surprised. Saruhiko clicked his tongue in annoyance and made his way to Reisi's office.

"Ms. Awashima told me to get your approval to do combat training tonight," Saru announced without a greeting. Reisi was sitting at his desk doing a puzzle, a cup of steaming tea next to him on the desk. Reisi looked up with an expression that mirrored Seri's.

"You _want _to do training?" the Blue King didn't hide his shock. Saruhiko rolled his eyes.

"Yes, I do," he replied, not hiding his annoyance.

"Let me look at your wound and I'll make my decision from there," Reisi replied gently.

"If I can't fight with a tiny scratch, then there isn't much of a point to fighting or training, is there?" Saruhiko snapped back. He wouldn't have this type of leverage over the Blue King for long, and the raven head knew he was just digging a deeper hole for himself, but he knew he had control for the moment.

"Very well then. This doesn't replace training for tomorrow," Reisi's voice had become formal, a sign that he was annoyed with Saruhiko. Saru turned to his room to change without a reply. He had a couple of reasons for wanting to join training tonight: to let off frustration from lunch, to distract himself, and also to process what was going on. He also wanted to physically wear himself out so he would be up all night thinking of how terrible things had turned out.

So Saruhiko did just that. Training lasted for almost three hours, and he didn't take a break at all during that time, except to drink water. He had run laps, did push-ups, lunges, and sword training with a few different people. He joined the troops for dinner and ended up having rice, but was only reminded of lunch which promptly made any appetite he may have had disappear. After a quick shower, Saru collapsed on his bed and fell into a restless sleep that only lasted a few hours. He woke with a start and immediately hated his existence as guilt wracked through his mind and body. Saru sat up slowly on his bed, every part of his body sore from the exercise he rarely participated in.

An hour later, the raven head was sitting in front of his computer, an email to Yata open, but blank. He had already written quite a few long drafts but deleted each of them. Saruhiko gave a great long sigh and pulled at his hair in frustration. Yata had been brave enough to tell Saru how he felt in person, yet Saruhiko couldn't even send an email. Yata definitely wasn't the idiot in this situation, and Saru needed to give Yata at least what he deserved.

**If you'll have me, I'd like to explain myself. I'll be at our spot at lunch tomorrow.**

Saruhiko finally managed to send _something, _so he turned everything off and went back to his bed, thinking of how he would explain himself if Yata gave him the chance.-


	10. Chapter 10 - Iris

**(Hey there guys! I am so sorry this took so long to get out, but I have a good excuse! I went to Fanime Con! And it was awesome! And I cosplayed as Yata! Anyway, thank you very much for being patient with me, and as always, let me know what you think please!)**

**Chapter 10/ Iris**

"_**And I don't want the world to see me**_

_**Cause I don't think that they'd understand**_

_**When everything's made to be broken**_

_**I just want you to know who I am."**_

**Iris – The Goo Goo Dolls**

"Yata..." Izumo let out a long sigh that ended in a groan. Yata opened one of his eyes to see the blonde sit heavily on the bench. This was it, he was sure of it. Izumo knowing who Yata liked and who he had been hanging out with would certainly make Izumo do something, like forbid Yata to see Saruhiko or make his friends not let him hang out alone. Yata had just ruined everything before it even really started.

"How long have you known he was the Blue King's kid?" Izumo asked. He sounded exhausted and defeated.

"From the beginning," Yata answered, opening both his eyes to stare at the ground in front of him.

"Why did you decide to hang out with him then?" Izumo asked while lighting a cigarette. Yata instantly became frustrated at this.

"I don't get why we're supposed to hate someone without even knowing who they are. How is it fair that just because he's a Blue, I'm supposed to hate him?" Yata grumbled and glared at his shoes. At this, Izumo looked over to Yata, and his brow furrowed. A few minutes of silence went by.

"It's hard to argue with that. But do you have any idea how dangerous this is? I can't protect you if Mikoto or the clan find out," Izumo said gently. Yata was confused by this.

"Aren't you going to stop me from seeing him?" Yata asked. Izumo let out a tired laugh.

"The only way I can do that is to either pull you out of school or transfer you to a different school. But those options will raise questions that I really don' want to answer. You obviously have found a way to keep this from your friends, and if I told them, I might as well tell the whole clan. There really isn't anything I can do, Yata," Izumo finished with a sigh. Yata wanted to smile but thought it to be inappropriate.

"I can ask you to stop seeing him. But something tells me that would be a waste of time. So can you promise me something?" Izumo stood up and looked down at Yata. Yata stood up also.

"Promise me that you will be careful. No one else can ever know about this. If this does get out, I will deny any knowledge of it. I can honestly say that I have no idea how Mikoto will react if he finds out." Izumo's tone was serious.

"I swear it," Yata replied, holding the taller man's gaze. Izumo gave a small smile and pulled Yata in for a hug.

"I'll do what I can to help and protect you," Izumo said before he let Yata go. Yata didn't know what to say to this, so he followed Izumo back to the bar in silence.

"Oh, and you owe me a chair and a glass," Izumo added. Yata felt nervous again.

"Okay. I really am sorry about that," Yata said awkwardly.

Back at the bar, Yata's friends were acting weird about his outburst. He didn't even think of what to say to them.

"I'll apologize for Yata. He had a bad experience at lunch something I had him do today. The guy was a douche bag." Izumo claimed as he started cleaning the dishes from dinner. An "Ooohhh" went around the room and everyone relaxed. Yata gave a thankful smile to the bartender, who winked at him with a small smile.

A few hours later, Yata's friends went home. All Yata really wanted to do now was play video games until he passed out, but Mikoto came home with bad news. Apparently the Green Clan was doing a massive recruitment through their app called JUNGLE, and many devices had been hacked for information about the Red and Blue Clans. From what the Red King had gathered, the Green King was planning to challenge the other clans for territory in the city.

"I'll contact all of the Red Clan and see who was hacked then get them new phones. Then I'll find out where the Green Clan wanted to strike and whatever else can be useful," Izumo said while already working on his phone.

"Just expect a fight at any time or anywhere. Yata, no running off by yourself until this bullshit is over," Mikoto growled in his deep voice. Yata nodded and went to his bedroom, pulling out his phone as he sat down to play games. To his surprise, Saruhiko had emailed him. Yata smiled at what he read but didn't reply, turning on his game to relax and go to sleep.-

* * *

Saruhiko woke up sore but in a fairly decent mood. He grabbed a smoothie before heading towards school, but was stopped by Reisi before he could leave the building.

"I'll pick you up from school today, Saruhiko. I can't explain right now but be careful today." Reisi had pulled Saru away from the morning crowd going in and out the front doors. The Blue King was a little tired and on edge.

"Okay," Saru replied slowly, eying Reisi carefully before he was called away. He stood still for a moment before making his way to school, wishing his throwing knives had come in already.

The day went by slowly, and Saruhiko's mind went over every scenario possible if Yata met him at lunch. He wouldn't be able to eat; his nerves had put his stomach in knots. He couldn't know for sure if Yata would even show up, but he really hoped he did. Not that he had any idea what he was going to say. He wanted to try whatever Yata had suggested. _"A couple."_ But how would that work since they couldn't be seen together? They couldn't just leave school. Maybe they could work something out for after school hours, but even then the Red Clan was everywhere _and _Reisi was keeping a closer eye on Saru.

Saruhiko was brought out of his thoughts by the bell for lunch. Saruhiko's stomach jumped to his throat and he tried to hide his trembling hands by shoving them into his pockets. He walked slowly, eyes glued to the floor, and told himself to breath. He stopped at the doors that led to where he would meet Yata and closed his eyes with a deep breath.

It was an overcast day; the sun was trying its hardest to peak out from the layer of clouds, making Saruhiko squint slightly. He looked around the area and didn't see Yata. He released a breath he didn't know he had been holding, as well as releasing his clenched fist and jaw. He leaned against the wall and crossed his arms, his eyes studying the ground in front of him. If Yata didn't show, that definitely would make both their lives easier. Saruhiko knew his life was best if he was alone; he had always preferred it that way. But he also hadn't known happiness before Yata had invaded his bubble. Smiling, butterflies, wanting to make another being happy. All these were new to him and involved the least expected person in the world.

A clatter of claws and a ruffle of feathers interrupted Saru's thoughts. He looked up to the chain link fence in front of him to see a bright green bird perched. Saruhiko couldn't explain why, but the bird made him feel uncomfortable, like it was watching him.

Before he could think on this further, the door opened and Yata popped his head over to see Saru. A small smile appeared on Yata's face, and Saruhiko tried to smile also, but it turned out more like a grimace.

"I'm glad you're here," Saru said gently, his throat tightening. Yata stepped next to Saru and leaned against the wall, his bag falling to the ground, his eyes on the raven head.

"We can just forget I said anything," Yata offered. Saru looked at him sharply.

"I don't want to. That's not what..." Saru trailed off, looking away in frustration. He now understood how Yata felt yesterday; saying these things was hard. He let out a sigh and faced Yata.

"I want... you...too. What you said, it's-" Saruhiko couldn't form a sentence that made sense and felt a little dizzy from everything going through his head. He took a deep breath to steady himself and looked into Yata's eyes, which seemed to be pleading for Saruhiko to say something good. With a wave of courage, the raven head stepped closer to Yata and took his face in his hands. He paused for just a moment, like asking for permission to act. When Yata didn't pull away or act negatively, Saruhiko leaned in and touched his lips to Yata's. They both were reluctant and gentle, Yata's hands ended up on Saru's chest. A few long moments passed and Saruhiko pulled away, his glacier orbs locking with Yata's hazel ones.

"Okay," Yata said with a smile.-

* * *

"_**All along it was a fever,**_

_**A cold sweat hot-headed believer,**_

_**I threw my hands in the air, said "Show my something."**_

_**He said, "If you dare, come a little closer.""**_

**Stay – Rhianna**

Yata understood now that explaining things to Saruhiko wasn't necessary. That kiss, his very first kiss, had said everything he felt and told him how the raven head felt about him. They looked at each other for a minute or so before Yata nuzzled himself into Saru's chest. Saruhiko wrapped his arms around the shorter male, resting his chin in his hair. Silence fell over the two, like they were both processing what this action meant.

"So how is this going to work?" Saruhiko broke the silence gently, still holding Yata like he never wanted to let go. Yata closed his eyes and sighed softly.

"I don't know yet. It's not going to be easy though," Yata replied, a smile escaping him at this thought.

A loud squawk interrupted the pair's comfortable silence, making Yata jump and look for its source. When he saw the green bird staring at them unblinkingly, Yata tilted his head.

"That bird makes me uncomfortable," Saru responded to Yata's confusion.

"Let's go to the back wall," Yata suggested, stepping out of Saruhiko's arms and picking up his bag. Saru followed and sat against the back wall. Yata sat next to him and intertwined their fingers. He was immediately distracted by the green bird flying to perch on the fence in front of them, staring at the pair with interest. Yata narrowed his eyes.

"What the hell?" he grumbled, glancing at Saru next to him, who was studying the bird inventively.

"You think it wants food or something?" Yata asked. Saruhiko clicked his tongue and shrugged.

"I don't know. There's something wrong with that bird though." Saru replied, tightening his hand like he was getting protective.

Before anything else could be said, the bell rang. Yata sighed and slumped his shoulders.

"Dammit," he groaned.

"Let's just stay here," Saruhiko offered. Yata shook his head.

"I can't. Mikoto ordered for us Red kids to stay together for a while. I only got away because they think I'm with Izumo," Yata explained while getting up.

"That's weird. Reisi told me to be careful today and that he'd pick me up from school," Saru said while standing also.

"It's something about the Green King and his clan," Yata said while walking to the door. Before Saruhiko could say anything, Yata turned and kissed the raven head with more confidence than before. He broke the kiss after a few moments.

"I'll email you soon," Yata said with a final smile.

Yata didn't get a chance to even look at his phone for the rest of the day. The bar was packed with clansmen when he got home, all talking about the Green King and JUNGLE. Izumo stopped Yata before he could go to his room to put his stuff away.

"The Green Clan made an aggressive move today. A couple of our guys got into a scuffle that ended because the police showed up. The Green King has also sent out spies to watch us and Scepter 4. One of them is his pet bird, very efficient in my opinion. Mikoto wants to stay on the offensive for now, just to see how big this thing gets," Izumo explained in a concerned tone. Yata's heart sank.-

* * *

Saruhiko had never been picked up from school, even in his elementary days; Reisi would walk him back to Scepter 4. So when Reisi was waiting for him at the front gate dressed in plain clothes, Saru was slightly confused. Reisi's violet eyes were methodically taking in the groups of students leaving and the parents waiting for their children. Reisi only gave a nod when Saru approached him, turning to lead him to a plain white car. The Blue King settled into the driver's seat, and Saru went to get into the passenger's side, but saw it was occupied by a Scepter 4 officer in uniform.

Once they started driving away from the school, Reisi finally spoke.

"The reason for all this and my warning this morning comes from recent events. The fifth king, the Green King, Nagare Hisui, has decided to attempt to make his presence larger in the city. The way he plans on doing this is reducing numbers in both Scepter 4 and the Red Clan. There was an attack on a group of Red clansman earlier this afternoon, and the Green Clan has been trying to hack into Scepter 4's network, along with all mobile devices for both clans. He has also started spying on both clans," the Blue King explained in an even, official tone. Saruhiko processed this for a few minutes.

"So the Green Clan is just randomly attacking us and the Red clan?" he asked.

"Basically. I have a continuous stream of intel on the Red Clan, thanks to Ms. Awashima's efforts. I've been informed that the Red King isn't going to attack yet, much to my surprise. All troops are on high alert in case the Green clan shows up. But I need your help, Saruhiko," Reisi finished with a glance in the rear view mirror. Saruhiko's eyebrows raised in response.

"I need your help in securing Scepter 4's network so the Green Clan can't get their hands on any information we have," Reisi said in a serious tone. Saru wanted to laugh, but settled for a smirk instead.

"Does this get me out of training for tonight?" Saru asked, still smirking. The Blue King allowed a dry chuckle at this.

"Sure," was his response. Right before they arrived at HQ, Saru sent an email to Yata.

"**Hey, have work to do tonight.**

**I'll see you at lunch tomorrow."**

It took about three hours for Saruhiko to go through Scepter 4's whole system to find any weak spots, then install a new firewall program, followed by setting up another network that the system would switch to automatically every few hours. By the time he was finished, Saru had a headache and an empty stomach. As a thank you token, Reisi had the cook make anything Saruhiko wanted, which was just a rice bowl with charred beef and a large soda.

The teen planned on doing homework, but instead found himself researching the Green King and his clan. They hid their tracks well, but Saruhiko was good at uncovering what people had tried to hide. The Green Clan's powers had to do with manipulating physics. It didn't seem like they had a main base, and most of their communication was done through their JUNGLE app. Saruhiko's jaw dropped when he scrolled down to a picture of a Green clansman with a green bird sitting on his shoulder; it was the same green bird from earlier in the day. Saru quickly went to Reisi's office.

"Is there something special about a green bird in the Green Clan?" Saru asked after closing the door. The Blue King had been reading reports.

"Why do you ask?" Reisi asked with a furrowed brow.

"I saw the bird today, during lunch," he replied carefully. Reisi tilted his head but remained in silent thought for several moments.

"What did the bird do exactly?" Reisi finally asked. Saru swallowed, making sure to answer carefully.

"It just... watched me. It didn't go away, and it followed me when I tried to move away from it," the raven head answered. Reisi narrowed his eyes slightly.

"That bird acts as a medium for the Green King, lets him see what its seeing and communicates through it. Apparently the Green King has taken an interest in you." Reisi didn't hide his concern. Saruhiko felt his knees go weak and his skin crawl in a cold sweat at this information.-


	11. Chapter 11 - 21 Guns

**(Hey there guys! So... this chapter is an... intermission chapter, you could say. There is a very good reason why I've done this chapter the way I have, so I hope I've made that part clear. I love the song I used, my favorite version is the one featuring the cast of American Idiot. As always, let me know what you think!)**

**Chapter 11/ 21 Guns**

"_**Do you know what's worth fighting for?**_

_**When it's not worth dying for?**_

_**Does it take your breath away and you feel yourself suffocating?**_

**21 Guns – Green Day**

If it were up to Mikoto Suoh, he would burn the Green Clan and its King to the ground to end this all now. But Izumo, knowing Mikoto a little too well, caught on to the Red King's thoughts and reasoned with him. The blonde had one good argument: Mikoto's nephew. The Red King would never say it aloud but Izumo was right. But Mikoto also knew that Yata would be taken care of _when _his Sword of Damocles finally did fall. In all honesty, it was Yata that had kept Mikoto's power under control and probably was the only reason Mikoto had lived this long. Raising a kid was the very last thing Mikoto ever thought he would do and was very lost the first year or so that Yata had been dropped on him. He himself had only been 15 years old, Yata's father was in such despair that he apparently hadn't taken this into consideration. Losing his sister like that though had brought out Mikoto's short temper and his protectiveness of his friends and nephew. The day he had been chosen as the Red king was the second most surprising and least likely thing to happen in his life. But no matter what happened, Izumo Kusanagi had been by his side to help and support him.

Besides the annoying prick Reisi in his world, Mikoto couldn't really complain about much. But it seemed the Green King was looking for attention and was going about it in a large way. Right now, the Red Clan was in the safety of the bar and Mikoto was biding his time to attack.

"I was just given a pretty decent offer, but I don't want you to get all huffy about it," Izumo said while lighting a cigarette. Mikoto grunted.

"It seems the target of the Green Clan isn't you and Reisi, it's the youngsters you two have. The Blue King would like to talk directly to Nagare, with you there also," Izumo explained calmly. Mikoto's eyes narrowed.

"What the hell does he want with Yata?" the Red King asked sharply. Izumo shrugged.

"That's what Reisi wants to find out," he replied. Mikoto sighed and rolled his eyes. This was turning out way more annoying than it had to be.

"Let's just storm the damn place," Mikoto grumbled. Izumo chuckled lightly.

"Normally I would agree with you. But seeing as this has nothing to do with you, I think you should reconsider," the blonde offered lightly. Mikoto grunted again and lit his own cigarette to buy some time. The red head looked around the bar and his eyes landed on his nephew, who was trying to stay in conversation with other clansman. Mikoto could tell he was nervous though, the boys knees were bouncing like rubber balls. Something spooked Yata today, which made Mikoto think this was a bit more serious than a fight between clans.

"Fine. But we do it tonight. And you're coming with me," Mikoto's deep voice was quiet and his gaze was still on Yata so the Red King didn't see the relief on Izumo's face.

"Of course," the blonde chimed, going upstairs to make a call. Mikoto sighed again, rolled his eyes, and reached for a bottle of whiskey. There was no way he'd be able to hand the Blue King stone sober.

A little over an hour later and Mikoto was leaning against the wall surrounding Scepter 4, waiting with Izumo for the Blue King and his lieutenant. The only thing Izumo said was that Scepter 4 had managed to get a hold of the Green King and get him to agree to a face to face.

"Good evening, gentlemen. Thank you for agreeing to this," Reisi greeted them both with a stiff nod, Seri cautiously eyeing both men behind him. Mikoto grumbled without looking at either of them, Izumo offered a gentle smile.

"The place of meeting is an empty warehouse, a few miles from here. I do hope you don't mind walking," Reisi explained while starting in the direction they needed to go. Mikoto caught the shadow of a smirk on Reisi's lips. _Cocky bastard, _the Red King thought, since Reisi knew Mikoto and Izumo walked everywhere.

The group stayed silent the whole way, only Mikoto's wallet chain clinking gently or the sound of Izumo's lighter being flicked open and closed. Reisi led the way with Seri next to him, Izumo walked behind the Blue King with Mikoto by his side.

Reisi finally stopped, rather suddenly, a the corner of the block they were walking. Mikoto looked up to see four warehouses in front of them, all abandoned. Mikoto rolled his gaze to Reisi, who was looking at each building with thought.

"Well?" the Red King grumbled with annoyance. The Blue King flashed a sarcastic smile and released his aura, his Sword of Damocles glittering above them. A few moments later and another Sword appeared above the second warehouse. Reisi drew his power in and his Sword disappeared.

"Very well then, let's go. Mikoto, don't do anything stupid," Reisi commented as he led them to the warehouse. Mikoto grunted and clenched his fist that was shoved in his pocket.-

* * *

Reisi Munakata was a fairly simple man, though the people around him didn't seem to see this. Reisi saw the world logically, he didn't over complicate things, and emotion wasn't something he wasted energy on. This didn't change much when Reisi took Saruhiko in, but he did know the motions to go through to make an infant feel parental love. He took care of the physical needs of the child, built a parental trust with him, and made sure the child was learning what he needed at every age. Reisi knew that the smiles he couldn't hide and the growing bubble in his chest were what fathers felt for their children, but Saruhiko wasn't really his child. So he set these emotions aside once the boy became older than a toddler.

Luckily Saruhiko wasn't fussy, needy, or much of anything that a normal child would be. He was quiet, observant, extremely smart, and self reliant. He liked spending time with Reisi in his office, probably because the two didn't have a need to talk.

Still, being protective of Saruhiko was not something Reisi could ignore. So when any threat, large or small, came against the boy; Reisi found himself a bit more on edge them usual. So finding out another King had his eyes on Saruhiko make Reisi go into a mindset not common of being the Blue King: he would take out anyone, King or not, if it meant Saruhiko's safety.

For right now though, Reisi was handling this situation like the many others he had before: hopefully civil conversation to resolve the issue at hand. But Reisi was fully prepared to fight if it meant a resolution wasn't met to his liking, which was to have Saruhiko left alone.

When the group finally made it to the warehouse, the Green King was sitting cross legged on the floor. In the back corner Reisi could see what would be considered Nagare's second: Yukari Mishakuji. It appeared no one else was around.

"Good evening, Nagare," Reisi started with a very small bow. Nagare took in the four people in front of him before responding.

"Seeing as you have come with just the four of you, I would say it is a good evening," the Green King's voice was cheery, but in an odd was that reminded Reisi of slime or something equally unpleasant.

"We agreed to meet for the following two reasons: to resolve this conflict and for information of your intentions," Reisi didn't need to speak loudly for his words to have impact, nor did he have to change his facial expression to show how serious he was. The Green King laughed.

"The conflict gave me what my intention was: to get both of your attention," Nagare answer lightly with triumph in his tone, a strange glitter in his eye that would have made any normal human shiver.

"Well, you have it. Get on with it then," Mikoto growled before Reisi could respond. _Fool. _He thought quickly. Another laugh from Nagare.

"Rude as always," Nagare chimed sarcastically.

"In the respect of being Kings and leaders, I thought I should give you a heads up that I specifically want Yata Misaki and Fushimi Saruhiko to join my ranks. Both boys have something that I find lacking in my clan, and we all know my clan is much more fun than either of yours," Nagare finished with a sadistic smile. Reisi found himself wanting to reach for his sword but stayed still. Out of the corner of his eye he saw Izumo move closer to Mikoto, ho was frowning deeply with a flare in his eyes.

"What in the world would make you think either of us would agree to such a ridiculous idea?" Reisi asked more calmly than he felt.

"Oh but you see, you don't have to agree. Those two boys are old enough to make up their own mind and their own choices," the Green King said with a smirk.

"Yata has no reason to leave the Red Clan," Mikoto sneered, his presence beginning to feel dangerous. Reisi needed to keep this situation calm otherwise Mikoto would decimate all four warehouses fairly easily.

"You are correct in that regard, Green King. But what is it that you could offer them that they don't already have?" Reisi asked cautiously.

"Something that neither of you are will to give and something they both desperately want: freedom," Nagare drew out the last word for effect, which did hit something in the Blue King. Although Mikoto seemed confused by this, Izumo had to hide his shock by looking to the ground. Reisi cleared his throat gently.

"You have said your desires, Nagare. Now here is mine: leave Saruhiko alone. If you can agree to this and follow it, I will take no further action against you," Reisi looked the Green King in the eye, who chuckled. Mikoto took a step forward.

"No matter how much you but Yata, he won't join you so you might as well stop trying," the Red King had seemed to calm down.

"If things turn out the way I think they will, Yata and Saruhiko will being coming to me _of their own accord._" Nagare warned with a smile before disappearing into the floor itself, his laugh echoing against the walls. Reisi saw Yukari take a step back, phasing through the wall and disappearing.

"Fucking cowards," Mikoto grumbled, lighting a cigarette with a flick of his fingers. It was clear to Reisi that Mikoto thought he had nothing to worry about, a feeling not shared with Izumo, whose mannerisms had changed to somewhat paranoid.

"Well, that was pleasant. But it sounds like our clans have nothing to worry about for the most part," Reisi said, though he wasn't convinced of this himself. He currently was going through his mind, trying to find out what would make Saruhiko leave on his own, but was coming up empty so far.

"Whatever," Mikoto grumbled and left, Izumo stealing a glance to the Blue King and Seri before following.

"Sir, I'm not sure I fully understand what the Green King is trying to do," Seri spoke for the first time, her tone gentle.

"I"m not sure I'd be able to help you understand, Ms. Awashima. If I were to put a label on this situation, I would say it's personal," Reisi replied with concern touching his voice. Seri furrowed her brow but didn't say anything more.-


	12. Chapter 12 - Follow Me

**(Hey there guys! Thank you for waiting for this one, and I'm happy to report that it is filled with fluff! As always, let me know what you think!)**

**Chapter 12/ Follow Me**

"_**You don't know how you met me,**_

_**You don't know why,**_

_**You can't turn around and say goodbye."**_

**Follow Me – Uncle Kracker**

The only thing Yata was told before Izumo and Mikoto left was that he was in charge. They didn't say where they were going or what they were doing, but something about it made Mikoto irritated and Izumo nervous. Yata kept his cool, mostly for the rest of the clan members that were with him. They all talked quietly, like they were waiting for a call to arms or something just as drastic.

When the pair returned, silence fell instantly in the bar. Mikoto was angry and annoyed. Izumo on the other hand was... Yata couldn't find another word to describe it: scared. The blonde put on his best game face for the clan, but Yata had lived with Izumo too long to not know when he was hiding behind a mask.

"Alright guys, it's over. None of you should have to worry about the Green Clan anymore," Izumo announced from behind the bar, mixing himself a drink and sliding a bottle of whiskey over to Mikoto. A murmur went through the clan, and the air that was heavy before lightened to happy and celebratory. Yata looked between Izumo and Mikoto to see if there were any signs that they had fought, but he didn't see anything out of the ordinary. Mikoto looked back to Yata while he was observing them and nodded for him to sit next to him. Yata obeyed and found a glass of juice waiting for him.

"You still need to be careful," Mikoto's tone was soft so no one else could hear. Yata looked at him with confusion.

"For some reason the Green King wants you in his clan. Thinks you're going to leave me," Mikoto sighed a bit and took a shot. Yata's eyes narrowed and he looked over to Izumo, who shrugged but gave Yata a look of concern.

"He must be crazy, right?" was the only response Yata could come up with. He had never thought of leaving the Red Clan, especially not his uncle. Mikoto was the only family he had. Izumo wasn't related by blood, but he was still Yata's family. Mikoto chuckled sarcastically but didn't say anything else.

Throughout the rest of the night, the three visited with the rest of the clan and everything seemed to go back to normal. Both Mikoto and Izumo were drunk by the time the last group left the bar. Yata locked the front doors and allowed himself to look at his email. He had sent Saruhiko a reply earlier but still hadn't heard back from him, making Yata nervous and worried.

"Ay Yata, youra good kid, ya know right?" Mikoto said suddenly with a goofy grin on his face. Yata looked up from his phone with surprise. Mikoto had always been a quiet and moody drunk, while Izumo was completely opposite and very entertaining on the rare occasion that he relaxed enough to enjoy himself. But tonight it seemed the two had switched in moods: Mikoto was being goofy and Izumo was brooding from behind the bar.

"Iss no thanks ta you, asshole," Izumo replied with slurred words. Yata's eyes widened. This could end badly. Mikoto turned in his chair to look at Izumo, who was now glaring at the Red King.

"But that's wha you're for," Mikoto said to Yata's surprise. Izumo didn't seem touched by this at all.

"Let's get you to bed, uncle," Yata called before Izumo could speak, grabbing Mikoto's arm to help him up the stairs. Izumo grumbled under his breath, but Mikoto didn't hear him.

"Yata, ya should stay home. Let's hang out," Mikoto slurred as he leaned on Yata once they made it to the top of the stairs. Yata chuckled.

"Yeah, sure," he replied, opening the door to Mikoto's room and half dragging him to his bed.

"I mean it. We're family. Let's hang out," Mikoto sounded sober suddenly. Yata plopped him on his bed and looked at his uncle curiously.

"Okay. I'll stay home," Yata said with a nod. Mikoto smiled and snuggled into his pillow, closing his eyes with a sigh.

"Good," the Red King said sleepily.

Yata didn't know if he should go back downstairs to make sure Izumo was okay; it seemed Izumo wanted to be left alone. But when Yata closed Mikoto's door, he found Izumo at the top of the stairs, leaning against the railing to not fall over.

"He only wants to hang out because of what Nagare said," Izumo grumbled, his words still slurring. Yata titled his head slightly. Izumo sighed and crossed his arms, looking at Yata with glassy but gentle eyes.

"Just don't do anything rash, or out of anger, or rebellion, okay?" Izumo asked, only confusing Yata even more.

"Ummm... okay," Yata managed. Izumo didn't say anything more, but patted Yata's head as he passed him to his room. Yata had no idea what was going on and had no clue what started this, but it was clear that something upset both Mikoto and Izumo tonight. He pulled out his phone and thought of how to explain this Saruhiko.

**Hey, so... I don't really know why but Mikoto wants me to stay home tomorrow. Nothing to worry about, he just want to hang out, I guess. So why don't we get together on Saturday? Let's go to lunch then the amusement park. I think we'd be safe there from my clan. Let me know if you can make it. I miss you.-**

* * *

After Saruhiko had told Reisi about the green bird, it seemed the Blue King's whole mindset had changed. When Reisi left, he'd told Saru to stay in his room until he got back, which was strange to hear from the raven head's guardian.

While in his room, Saruhiko was going to reply to Yata's email, but thought he should re-secure his server before he sent anything personal. This kept Saru busy until Reisi returned about an hour later. The Blue King seemed tired and worried while he came into Saruhiko's room, sitting heavily on the bed with a sigh.

"The Green King and his clan have agreed to back off. But Nagare seems to be under the impression that you will be joining his clan of your own free will," Reisi informed Saru, his violet eyes searching for a sign on if this was true. Saruhiko stopped for a moment out of mild surprise, then clicked his tongue in annoyance while looking back to his computer screen.

"I don't even want to be in this clan, so why would I waste the energy of being in a different clan?" Saru asked with heavy sarcasm. This didn't comfort the Blue King in the least.

"Saruhiko, I know my choices haven't given you a life you want. You've made it clear that you want a different lifestyle. But if you did have the option to leave Scepter 4, would you leave for another King?" Reisi asked this in a tone that was unfamiliar to Saru. The raven head turned his chair to face Reisi. His glacier orbs found the Blue King in a state he had never seen: vulnerable and scared. Saruhiko studied Reisi for a few moments, trying to find the best way to answer such a random question. It was true that Saru felt like a puppet, felt like he would leave this clan in a heartbeat. But looking at his guardian now, Saruhiko saw that Reisi didn't see Saru as one of his clansmen. Saru saw the eyes of a father in those purple orbs, eyes that were scared of losing the child he had chosen as his own. Saruhiko, for the first time, saw love from his guardian.

"I won't leave Scepter 4. For any reason. Even if you tell me I can," Saruhiko replied gently. Reisi's eyes glossed for a moment at this response but he took in a breath and blinked away his emotion.

"Okay," Reisi managed while getting up. He stopped at the door like he was going to say something else but smiled and left. Saru stayed still for a few long minutes. _Dammit, _he thought. He just made a promise that he already regretted, one that he already wanted to break. But he had already accepted his fate, his fate that was chosen for him. He wasn't actively trying to leave Scepter 4 now, though the thought was always in the back of his mind. Especially with Yata in his life now, being in Scepter 4 was more trouble than it was worth.

But none of that mattered now. Just today was a big step in his life. He was in a relationship, with a boy, who he shouldn't be with but chose to anyway. Saruhiko's biggest priority was to see if this was going to work and try his damnedest to make it. He'd have to make sure Reisi didn't suspect anything, though it seemed the Green King had already planted the seed of suspicion. Whatever the Green King had said struck something in Reisi, something deep enough to make the Blue King scared of losing Saruhiko. This could mean that Reisi would keep a closer eye on him, maybe even monitor him during school. This wouldn't surprise Saru in the least; his guardian was protective and went to great lengths to show this in his own odd way. How this would affect things with Yata was yet to be seen, obviously, but Saru needed to plan ahead to make sure he could continue this new relationship.

Saruhiko mindlessly finished with his security and went straight to his email. He had two messages from Yata, and after reading the last one, he leaned back in his chair with his arms crossed. Meeting Yata in a public place was exactly what the raven head had to plan around. How was he going to get away from Reisi and his now paranoid eyes? It wasn't like he could just say he was going to meet a friend; Reisi knew Saru didn't socialize. Even saying something like he had a group project for school wouldn't work, Saru worked alone. Saruhiko would have to get a feel for where the Blue King stood before he could give Yata an answer to Saturday. Since it was already too late tonight, he'd test the waters tomorrow.

Getting though school without Yata there had proved to be more difficult than Saruhiko had expected. He sat in the hallway where Yata had first spotted him and found himself drifting into memories of the past two weeks. Saruhiko had done and talked more with another kid in these two weeks then he'd had in his whole life. He couldn't remember playing when he was a child, but imagined it wasn't something he chose to do. He had never liked games that involved other people, but somehow always managed to pass physical education classes. When it came to group projects for school, he always did his portion alone and let the other members figure out where and how to use it. Saru never felt lonely, never felt the need for interaction. But now... Now he felt alone without Yata by his side.

Instead of walking straight home after school like he usually did, Saruhiko walked around the city. Depending on when Reisi would call and what questions he'd ask, Saru would be able to tell the extent of the freedom he was given. It was almost five thirty before his phone rang.

"Hello," Saru answered, stopping and leaning against a wall.

"Saruhiko, is everything okay?" Reisi asked lightly.

"Yeah. I was just about to get something to eat then head home," the raven head answered with a small smirk. A few moments of silence passed.

"Very well. Be careful, okay?" the Blue King's tone stayed the same, and Saru was truly surprised.

"Of course," he responded and hung up. He had been expecting questions of where, when, and why. Or at least a tone of worry. Maybe he was giving the Green King a bit too much credit on how he'd affected Reisi.

**Saturday sounds fine. Let's meet up in the alley behind the school around 1pm. I missed you today, and will miss you until Saturday. Have fun with your uncle.-**

* * *

"_**Kiss me down by the broken tree house,**_

_**Swing me upon its hanging tire,**_

_**Bring, bring, bring your flowered hat,**_

_**We'll take the trail marked on your father's map."**_

**Kiss Me – Sixpence None The Richer**

Yata did have a good time with his uncle, though he never could recall a bad time either. Though Mikoto and Izumo both had a bit of a headache, they both still participated in shopping for Yata and taking the boy fishing. Yata still couldn't help but be nervous for Saturday and still had to figure out a way to get away from the clan's curious eyes.

By Saturday morning, the only thing Yata thought to do was tell Izumo. So that morning, before Mikoto woke up, he tried to be casual.

"So... I'm going to meet up with a friend today," Yata started as he finished his breakfast. Izumo raised an eyebrow in his direction.

"In public? On the weekend?" Izumo sounded surprised.

"Well, yeah. Since I couldn't see him at school, I figured we should hang out today. We're meeting up for lunch and going to the amusement park," Yata said this with a shrug. Izumo gave a short, annoyed sigh.

"I guess that was a smart place to pick. The Blue and Red clans have no reason to go there. Alright, just be careful, alright?" Izumo gave in rather easily. Yata nodded and went back to his room. He tried his best to pass the time with games, but couldn't focus long enough to pay attention, so he ended up pacing in his room. Around eleven thirty he started worrying about what he was going to wear, remembering that Saruhiko had only seen him in his school uniform. In the end Yata chose black, loose fit shorts and a plain gray t-shirt. He wrapped a black hoodie around his waist in case either of them got cold.

Yata arrived at the alley a quarter to one, but Saru wasn't there yet. He took in a deep breath to calm himself and ran a hand through his chestnut hair. He had no idea why he was nervous; he really was just hanging out with Saruhiko. No, it wasn't just hanging out anymore. They were in a relationship now. Yata had no idea how to act now, or what to say, or how to say anything even. People who were together did stuff like hold hands and kiss and call each other names like "honey," "sweetie," or "babe." What would he call Saruhiko? What if Saru hated pet names? What if the raven head didn't like being touched? The more questions that popped into Yata's head, the more he began to panic.

"Hey," a familiar voice said, making Yata jump and twirl around. A smile broke through his nerves as he saw Saruhiko walk up wearing dark blue skinny jeans and a white t-shirt under a black and blue plaid button up shirt. Saru's fashion style fit him perfectly, and made Yata's stomach flutter.

"Hey, you're here," Yata squeaked in a small voice, his cheeks blushing.

"Of course I am," the raven head responded, wrapping his arms around Yata's waist and embracing him gently, nuzzling into Yata's neck. Yata wrapped his arms around the taller boy's neck, inhaling his scent that consisted of light cinnamon.

"I missed you," Saruhiko whispered into Yata's neck, sending a pleasant chill down his spine and goosebumps along his arms.

"I missed you too," he replied with a smile. He held their embrace for a few moments before reluctantly pulling away.

"Let's go eat. Where do you want to go?" Yata asked happily. The raven head shrugged and held onto Yata's hand.

"I know you really like ramen so let's get that," Saru replied gently. Yata chuckled.

"But you don't like ramen," Yata commented as they started walking.

"Yeah, but I will eat white rice. And if a place that serves ramen doesn't have white rice, then they're doing something wrong," Saru commented with a small smirk.

"Yeah, I guess you're right," Yata squeezed Saruhiko's fingers for a moment and began leading him towards the amusement park. There was a restaurant he liked on the way there that they could eat at.-

* * *

Saruhiko spoke with Reisi Friday night, to get the go ahead to leave.

"Since I'm going to be a Scepter 4 officer, I think I should get to know the city," Saru commented over dinner. Reisi looked up from his food thoughtfully.

"That is a good idea, Saruhiko. I'll have an officer show you around tomorrow," Reisi replied. Saru clicked his tongue.

"I'd rather go on my own and form my own opinion on what I see," he argued with a touch of annoyance. Reisi thought this over for a minute.

"Very well then. Just check in with me every once in a while," Reisi said. Saru nodded and that was that.

Around twelve-fifteen the next day, Saruhiko popped his head into Reisi's office to tell him he was leaving. The raven head was more excited than nervous; the past two days of not seeing Yata had driven him insane. He had even done sword training to exhaust himself so he wouldn't be up all night feeling so lonely.

So when he finally laid his eyes on Yata and felt the boys heat through his clothes and on his face, Saruhiko's shoulders felt like a weight had been lifted.

During lunch, he and Yata talked and debated in a "Best of" game: best game, best movie, etc. As expected, Yata thought anything with explosions and non-stop action were the better choices of entertainment. Saruhiko, on the other hand, enjoyed horror, stealth, and fantasy genres. But both boys enjoyed learning about each other and agreed to watch the other's favorite movie with them.

After a light argument on who would be paying, another agreement was made: they would take turns on treating the other. Saruhiko started this chain and smiled at Yata's blushing cheeks.

"So I assume you like the fast rides?" Saru asked once they got into the amusement park, which was much too crowded for his liking. He pulled Yata close to him and held his hand, almost protectively.

"Well, yeah! But we shouldn't ride them after eating. So let's play some games first," the chestnut offered as he led Saru towards the carnival games section. Yata chose a shooting game first and won a medium stuffed bear, which he held out with a smile. Saruhiko smiled back and pulled Yata in for a long hug. Saru chose a dart game and didn't miss one shot. When the man told him to choose his prize, Saruhiko looked over to Yata.

"Which one do you want?" he asked. Yata's eyes sparkled as he looked at all the biggest prizes and pointed to a large blue and white monkey.

"Cause you're _my _blue monkey," Yata explained, getting on his tip toes to peck Saru gently on the lips. Saruhiko felt his stomach flutter and pulled Yata in for a longer kiss, his way of confirming Yata's statement.

On their way to the rides, they bought cotton candy and sodas. Saruhiko realized for the first time that he wasn't bothered by all the people around them because he was so focused on Yata. The boy's happiness was infectious, and Saru knew nothing else mattered in this universe except for Yata being, and staying, happy.

It was almost five o'clock before Yata had first brought up something about going home. This made Saruhiko think of something.

"We should find a place to call ours," the raven head offered as they walked out of the park. Yata looked up for an explanation.

"A place where we can hang out when we don't feel like doing anything or be around other people," Saru elaborated.

"Oh! Yeah, that sounds good. I know a couple of rooftops, and there are always the warehouses at the docks too," Yata suggested. Saru gave a small smile.

"We'll figure something out soon," he said, stopping and dragging Yata into an alley. Yata gave a look of surprise.

"I want to give you a proper goodnight," he mused with a smirk on his face, pushing Yata gently against the wall and leaning in for a kiss. Yata responded with fervor and opened his mouth slightly to Saruhiko's tongue. Saru explored Yata's mouth gently, not having a clue what to do. Yata answered his awkwardness with his own, his tongue clumsily clashing with Saruhiko's.

After a few long moments Saru pulled away, out of breath and excited. His glacier blue eyes were a shade darker, like icebergs under a night sky. His normally pale cheeks were flushed and he was frozen from the intense moment he had just shared. Yata was also out of breath and embarrassed.

"I better get back," Saruhiko said after a few minutes to focus his cloudy mind. Yata nodded and swallowed.

"Yeah, should be dinner time soon," Yata agreed. Saru pulled Yata close to him and planted kisses along his cheek until he nuzzled into Yata's collarbone, closing his eyes to lock this moment into his memory.

"I already miss you," the taller said in just above a whisper.

"Me too," Yata whispered back.-


	13. Chapter 13 - Here (In Your Arms)

**(Hi there guys! I am so sorry that this took so long to get out, I had a shot in my spine that's supposed to help with my chronic back condition I have so I was out of it for a bit. PLEASE don't hate me with how things end in this chapter, it happens for a reason! Let me know what you think, as always!)**

**Chapter 13/ Here (In Your Arms)**

"_**I fell in love,**_

_**In love with you suddenly,**_

_**Now there's no place else I could be,**_

_**But here in your arms."**_

**Here (In Your Arms) – Hellogoodbye**

A little over two months had passed since their first official date, and Yata couldn't be happier. He and Saruhiko had fallen into a pretty simple pattern: lunch together everyday at school and getting together when the best time was available. It seemed the Red Clan and its King were still clueless, and Izumo's concern was slowly fading with each passing day. Yata would update Izumo on anything that seemed important, but nothing ever came up as of yet.

But now Yata and Saru had something to worry about: the first term was ending soon, which meant they wouldn't have school to use as a way to see each other. Yata had brought it up during one of their lunches, while they were cuddling against the wall.

"So my teachers have been talking about final exams all day," Yata announced with a sigh. He was resting his head on Saruhiko's chest, his hands wrapped around Saru's lower back. Saru's index finger had been mindlessly tracing patterns on Yata's shoulder, which stopped at this news.

"Yeah, I never thought coming to school would become so important until I met you," Saruhiko replied with his own sigh. This response didn't help Yata in the least. He tilted his head to look up at the raven head.

"What are we going to do?" Yata asked. Saru held Yata's gaze for a few moments before closing his eyes, his lips resting on Yata's forehead.

"We could just say 'fuck it' and come out," Saru answered with sarcasm. Yata grumbled and moved away to properly look at the teen, who protested with a whine and glare at Yata.

"I'm serious, Saru. It's going to be three months before second term starts, and three months is a long time to not see each other. I don't even know if I could last a week without seeing you," Yata's tone had a touch of panic to it. Of course, they would see each other in those three months, but Yata wanted Saruhiko to take this talk to heart.

"Stop being so dramatic, Misaki. I'll figure something out, okay?" the raven head replied with a click of his tongue. Yata huffed and crossed his arms. Refusing cuddles and kisses was Yata's way of getting the other's attention. He had figured this out a while ago when Saru had ignored one of his questions, which Yata had huffed and glared until he got the answer out of him. The raven head saw this action and groaned out of frustration.

"Look, Reisi has already given me enough freedom to leave home whenever I want without asking too many questions. He thinks I've set the record for every game in one of the arcade centers, and he probably knows I'll set more records at other centers if given the chance. As long as I keep up my grades and do my training, I don't have anything to worry about. You're the one with all the friends and family time," Saru ended his explanation with a roll of his eyes. Yata looked down at this. Saru was right, of course. He was right about pretty much everything, Yata had noticed; it was one of the many traits Yata adored but loathed at the same time.

To make up for his over dramatic behavior, the chestnut crawled on to Saruhiko's lap and straddled him, his hands holding on to Saru's neck. A smirk crawled across the raven head's mouth. A smirk of triumph, most likely. But Yata covered this smirk with his lips.

A heated make out session went on until the bell rang a few minutes later. Yata growled in his throat at this, but Saruhiko didn't let him go. Yata pulled away to take a breath and Saru whined in protest.

"We have to go to class since finals are coming up," Yata argued with a pout. He certainly didn't want to leave. It was getting harder to leave his boyfriend everyday. Not only was he addicted to spending time with Saru, but he also found himself wanting to explore more of the raven head's body with each make out they had. Only once had Saruhiko told Yata that he couldn't get "enough of his heat", which confused Yata but he didn't ask for an explanation. All he knew was that all the time in the world wouldn't be enough to satisfy spending time with Saruhiko.

"Fine," Saru grumbled, pecking Yata on the lips before he let him go to gather his things. Yata got up with a sigh of annoyance.

"Want to go to dinner tonight?" Yata asked lightly, trying to give Saruhiko something to look forward to and to make up for being so worried about summer break. Saru clicked his tongue.

"I can't, I have training with Reisi," Saruhiko's tone sounded defeated as he also gathered his bag and leftovers from lunch to throw away. Yata looked away to hide his disappointment, knowing it would only make Saru feel worse.

"Yeah, okay. I'll let you know when I get home then," Yata answered with one more kiss and left. He actually wanted to talk to Saru about something that had been plaguing his mind for a couple of days, but it would have to wait.-

* * *

Everyday that Saruhiko woke up, he wondered if the day before had just been a dream. But this thought would end when he looked at his phone, an email showing in his custom program. Yata sent an email every morning to Saruhiko, saying good morning and whatever else would come to his mind in that moment. Yata had no idea how much these emails meant to Saruhiko, and Saru wasn't sure if he ever wanted to say.

Things at home seemed less annoying also, but Saru thought this was because he was actually happy for once. Besides physically training with the troops once a week, Reisi's training mostly comprised of teaching Saruhiko the power of his aura. In the two months that had passed, Saruhiko had learned to use his powers with a sword, his fists, and his throwing knives. Although Reisi disapproved of the knives at first, he soon learned that Saru had a natural talent with them in both offense and defense.

But now Saruhiko and Yata had their first big obstacle to overcome since starting their relationship with summer break approaching. And although what he had said to Yata was true, he didn't mention that Reisi was going to increase his training when school was on break. He figured it would change much between him and Yata or affect their current problem, and didn't want Yata to have something else to worry about. Between the two of them, Yata was the one to show his feelings and concerns and worry about things like spending time together or going on proper dates and such. Saruhiko thought of these things too, but he would much rather spend his energy on making sure Yata was happy.

As far as training went for that night, Reisi had told Saru that it was going to be of an academic nature. So after he finished his homework Saruhiko went to Reisi's office. As expected, dinner was waiting for him, and Reisi was finishing the day's reports. Saru ate while his guardian finished working, and they small talked until Reisi went to change out of his uniform.

"So Saruhiko, tonight I would like to talk about the clans, their history, and what to expect in the future," Reisi started, sitting comfortably at his desk. Saru resisted, sighing out of annoyance.

"Tell me what you already know," the Blue King stated lightly. Saru looked down to think of past history lessons he had been given.

"Well, the first and Silver King was a scientist during the second world war when he found the Dresden Slate. After his sister was killed, he was chosen by the Slate as the first King. When the war ended, he chose to reign from the skies and the last person to see him was the second and Gold King, who we have to thank for making Japan the first in technological advances. It is unclear when the other five kings were chosen, but we know Jin Habari was the first Blue King, Genji Kagutsu was the first Red King, and Ichigan Miwa was the first Colorless King. Nagare Hisui is the only known Green King, but he might not be the first. Genji Kagutsu is the reason why there is a crater in Japan's land, the result of his Sword of Damocles falling when he used up his power," Saruhiko droned on about the various facts he knew, and Reisi stopped him with a hand gesture.

"Very good, Saruhiko. Tonight, I would like to give you top secret information about the Blue and Red clans. As you already know; the Kagutsu Crater Incident killed both the Red and Blue Kings, along with over half of Scepter 4 and thousands of civilians. But what isn't known by the clans involved is why that incident cause such deep seeded hatred," Reisi said this in an informative tone, like he was given a mission to his men. Saruhiko looked on with mild interest.

"When chosen by the Dresden Slate as a King, the newly appointed person receives the memories of the previous King if there was one. So when I was chosen, I was given the memories of Jin Habari, which means I know what truly caused the Kagutsu Crater Incident. As does Mikoto Suoh," Reisi paused to make sure Saru was keeping up, whose interest had grown the more the Blue King spoke.

"The reason why the two Kings had met that day was the result of Jin Habari's daughter's murder. Accidental murder, but murder nonetheless. She was in the wrong place at the wrong time, it seems. Genji and his clan were in a very large battle with one of the largest gangs of the time, and Jin's wife and daughter were walking home from a day of shopping. They ended up on the same street that the battle was taking place, and Genji let out a wave of his aura to stun the enemies that were surrounding them. It hit Jin's wife and daughter, but his daughter hit her head when she fell that caused a bleed in her brain. She died two days later," Reisi explained this in a gentle and sad tone. Saruhiko sat stunned. He had never expected something this drastic. He thought the hate between the clans was petty and unjustified, but it turned out there was a valid reason.

"For as terrible as that is, this shouldn't have carried over to you and Mikoto, right?" Saru asked with a sudden thought. A sad smile came on the Blue King's features.

"That would be true, but Genji Kagutsu was Mikoto's Suoh's grandfather," Reisi stated simply. Saruhiko felt his mouth go dry.-

* * *

"_**You took my hand,**_

_**You told me it would be okay,**_

_**I trusted you to hold my heart,**_

_**Now fate is pulling me away, from you,"**_

**This Love – The Veronicas**

In their simple schedule, Yata and Saruhiko emailed each other all the time while school was out. They used these emails to get to know each other even more, or to help each other (meaning Saruhiko helped Yata) with homework and the like. They also started talking about the future, places they wanted to go with each other, and dates they wanted to do like staying overnight in a hotel or getting a place together once they started working.

Yata was used to not hearing from Saru when he had training, but the raven head would always email him when he was finished. At a quarter past ten, Yata began to worry. He couldn't imagine his training taking this long, unless Reisi had Saruhiko do double training or something equally crazy.

**Hi babe, I hope you are okay.**

**I suppose I'll just wait to see you tomorrow.**

Yata sent this email at ten thirty and went to sleep.

Yata had a restless night with dreams of Saruhiko being injured or in a fight to the death battle. His worry continued when he checked his phone that morning and didn't see an email waiting for him. He sent his usual good morning message, but added that he was worried from not hearing from Saruhiko.

"You haven't heard anything about the Blues, have you?" Yata asked Izumo during breakfast. Yata knew Izumo always had the most recent information on what was going on with the city, and he had a personal contact in Scepter 4. Izumo looked up from the receipts he was going through.

"Not that I can think of. Scepter 4 has been pretty quiet lately, actually," the blonde replied thoughtfully.

"Why?" Izumo asked with curiosity. Yata looked down to his food, biting his lip nervously.

"It's just..." he paused, not knowing how to word what he wanted to say.

"I haven't heard from my friend since we had lunch yesterday. I know it hasn't been that long, but it's weird for him not to say anything to me," Yata's tone was small and embarrassed. Izumo stayed quiet for a few moments.

"I wouldn't worry too much just yet. Scepter 4 is a busy organization. But I'll keep my ears and eyes open today and let you know if I hear anything," Izumo replied lightly.

"Yeah, okay," Yata replied gloomily with a nod. He finished his breakfast and went to school.

With finals approaching, Yata's classes were harder and full of more work than usual to prepare for their tests. Although Yata wasn't completely dumb, he did have to study and take notes to keep up and have a chance to pass. But Yata couldn't focus very well since he hadn't slept, and Saruhiko's silence made Yata uncomfortable, so by the time lunch rolled around, Yata was in a fairly bad mood. Even the thought of seeing his boyfriend didn't lighten his mood like it normally would; Yata was pretty upset about the silent treatment he was getting for no reason. So when Yata made it to their spot, he huffed and crossed his arms when he sat against the wall. Yata had never been really mad at Saruhiko before, but he felt his anger was justified. Saru knew how much Yata worried, even if he made fun of him for it. Out of the pair, Yata was the open book because he felt like it showed how much he trusted and cared for Saruhiko. He knew how the raven head felt about him, Saru showed it through physically holding and kissing Yata. Saruhiko was also more open in the emails they exchanged, always bringing a smile to Yata's face. But not even a message to say he was okay? Yata grumbled to himself at the thought of how rude Saruhiko was being.

Yata sat and stewed in his feelings while he waited for his boyfriend, but began to calm down after about ten minutes. He looked down at his watch and his throat tightened. Where the hell was Saru? The raven head was never this late, even if a teacher held him back to talk to him. Yata got up and started pacing, panic setting in with every minute that passed.

Five minutes before lunch ended, Saruhiko finally appeared from the gym door. Yata gave a relieved sigh and sprinted towards the raven head with a smile on his face, but froze when he saw the look on Saruhiko's face. The teen looked like someone had died, someone very close to him.

"Saruhiko?" Yata asked tentatively, taking a small step towards him.-

* * *

Reisi ended his tale with this:

"To get revenge for his daughter, Jin fought Genji in a battle he knew would end Genji's reign as the Red King. Genji tried to explain that it was an accident and he really didn't mean for it to happen, but Jin was too driven with anger to hear him out. Right before Genji's Sword of Damocles fell, he killed Jin. Only Mikoto knows why Genji did this. I'm sure you can work out the rest," Reisi ended with a tired sigh.

Saruhiko had many questions he wanted to ask, but had no idea where to start. He sat for a few minutes in silence.

"So is that why you and Mikoto have to kill each other?" Saru asked with a dry mouth. Reisi nodded.

"With what happened, the first Blue and Red Kings unintentionally started a war with their clans that may last for lifetimes to come," the Blue King explained.

"Haven't you tried to stop it though?" Saruhiko asked with a furrowed brow. Reisi let out a chuckle.

"Of course. But Mikoto is probably the most stubborn and hot headed person I've ever known. He feels like it's his responsibility to get revenge for his grandfather, a feeling that increased when his sister died," Reisi's tone had become solemn with thought. The raven head didn't know what to say.

"I do believe that is enough for tonight, Saruhiko. We will continue next week," the Blue King announced while getting up to walk Saru to his room. Saru nodded and dumbly walked back to his room, his mind filling with one horrible thought: _He had to end it with Yata._

The teen didn't sleep that night. He didn't want to, actually. He felt like he didn't deserve any rest with what he was going to do. He didn't deserve rest or food or anything that brought him comfort. He sat on the floor of his bedroom all night, convincing himself that leaving Yata now would help them both in the long run. He knew that Yata didn't know the story Reisi had just told him, otherwise they would have talked about it already. Maybe he could tell Yata what was really going on? No, that wouldn't help anything. If it changed their situation at all, it would be that Yata would feel obligated to follow his uncle on this revenge quest he had taken on himself. This was family, there was nothing thicker than blood. There was no escaping what the pair was facing in the future, there was no way to escape that they each belonged to an opposing team. So Saruhiko went on and on in his head with the best way he could end it with Yata, going over the nice way to do it or the mean way to do it or a balance between the two.

By the time the raven head got to school, he was feeling sick. Dinner from last night was threatening to escape, and a few times he went to the bathroom to let it, but he swallowed the feeling down, telling himself he deserved to suffer. When the bell rang for lunch, Saruhiko couldn't move. He leaned against the wall outside of his last class, fighting tears that wanted to burst from his eyes. Maybe he could just stop seeing Yata, ignore him like he had been since lunch yesterday. _"Don't be a fucking coward," _he thought to himself angrily. No, he would wait until lunch was almost over so they didn't have to talk about it.

"Saruhiko?" Yata's voice was scared. Saru couldn't blame him, he tried his best to look terrible, after all. But seeing the happiness fade from Yata's whole being like that, the raven head couldn't hold the tears back any longer.

"I'm sorry, Misaki," Saruhiko choked, his voice shaking with emotion. Yata came close to hold the raven head but Saru pushed him away.

"No! I can't... we can't... anymore," Saru tried. Yata looked completely lost.

"But..." Yata tried, his own emotions starting to show.

"No!" Saruhiko screamed, taking in an emotional breath.

"What? Why? What did I do!?" Yata responded desperately. At this, Saruhiko turned around so Yata couldn't see his face streaming with tears.

"Ask your uncle," the raven head growled. The bell rang and Saru tried to not feel relieved as he made for the door. Yata grabbed Saruhiko's shoulder roughly and turned him around.

"But..." Yata was crying with no shame now.

"I love you, Saruhiko."-


	14. Chapter 14 - Two Weeks

**(Hi there guys! So I don't know if you saw my update on the description, but I had an emergency move come out of no where. I am kind of settled in, but things are still going to be erratic until I get my husband up here with me. So I am sorry if I don't post as frequently as you guys are used to. Anyway, a note about this song: this song is very near and dear to my heart, it's what my husband and I consider "our" song. I'm going to admit, I'm not SUPER happy with this chapter, but it could just be the stress talking. One more note, THANK YOU for being here with me for so long! And as always, let me know what you think!)**

**Chapter 14 / Two Weeks**

"_**I said we're stronger than this now,**_

_**You resurrected mistakes, years passed it seemed,**_

_**And they exist to still haunt you."**_

**Two Weeks – All That Remains**

"_I want to love you."_

That was how Saruhiko had responded to Yata's confession. Nearly a week had passed since that terrible day, and Yata hadn't been to school since. He had thrown up when Saru dashed out of sight, then collapsed against the wall in a shivering mess. It took all his strength to call Izumo, tell him where he was, and then pass out before he could hang up.

Yata woke several times that night, crying and shaking from reliving that afternoon. Izumo was with him all night, cooling his fever with a cold cloth and comforting him. When Yata's fever finally broke the next day, Izumo went to sleep with instructions left for Mikoto to keep an eye on Yata. Yata woke that evening, drank a glass of water, and went right back to sleep.

"What's wrong with him?" Mikoto asked Izumo, who came into the room after sleeping for six hours and taking shower. Izumo gazed with concerned eyes at the sleeping form.

"He must have caught something at school," was the only thing Izumo could say. But he knew better. Between the crying and reaching out in his dreams, Yata had said the combination of "No", "Saruhiko", and "Don't" many times while Izumo watched him. Obviously Mikoto hadn't heard any of this or he would be asking a very different question.

"I can stay longer if you want," Mikoto suggested after a few moments of them both watching Yata sleep. This surprised Izumo for a moment, but saw in a glance that the red head was worried for his nephew.

"I'll make some dinner," Izumo responded with a gentle smile.

This exchange went on for the next five days; each day Yata only woke to drink water and use the bathroom. Finally on the sixth afternoon, he woke and sat up in his bed. Mikoto had left, probably to smoke, so Yata just sat dejectedly. He wanted to cry again, but angrily pushed his tears back. Sometime in the past six days, Yata had worked out that Saruhiko didn't break up with him because he _wanted _to; he did it because he felt he had to. The blame for this rested on Mikoto's shoulders, and Yata was determined to find out why.

But it wasn't Mikoto who had walked through the door when it opened; it was Izumo. Though the blonde looked relieved to see Yata awake, his eyes narrowed at how angry the kid looked.

"Glad to see you're alive," Izumo started gently, trying for an encouraging smile. Yata ignored this.

"Why do the Blues and Reds _have _to hate each other?" Yata grumbled with a dry, cracked voice. Izumo gave a great sigh and sat in the chair near Yata's bed.

"I had a feeling you were going to ask something like this when you woke up. Lemme guess, Saruhiko ended it?" Izumo's tone was rather sarcastic, and a glare was produced from Yata at this.

"Well, I can't blame him I suppose, since it seems the Blue King told him about the Kagutsu Incident," Izumo continued with a shrug.

"What does that have anything to do with me and him?" Yata asked, still upset. Izumo gave a gentle chuckle.

"Genji was your uncle's grandfather," Izumo replied. Yata's attitude didn't change.

"That still doesn't have anything to do with Saruhiko and me." Yata's voice lowered in case Mikoto was nearby. Izumo narrowed his eyes slightly.

"You know what, you're right. It doesn't. Just don't be surprised or pissed at Saruhiko if the Blue King ends up killing your uncle," Izumo replied shortly and left, leaving Yata confused. Yata recovered from his confusion and pulled out his phone.

**I don't care what happened in the past,**

**I still want to be with you.-**

* * *

Saruhiko had kept up his self-punishment as best he could, only sleeping when his body forced him to. He ate chips to make his stomach stop growling and only drank coffee and soda. To keep up the appearance he made with Reisi, Saru left Scepter 4 every other day, though he only walked around in a daze.

That weekend, with nothing to keep him busy, Saruhiko's mind and body shut down and he slept for almost 24 hours. He woke to Reisi gently shaking him. It was dark outside.

"Ah, there you are. I was beginning to worry," Reisi's voice was calm, but his features were blurred between poor eyesight and darkness. Saru squinted his eyes and looked around.

"What time is it?" he asked groggily.

"Just after four thirty in the morning," the Blue King responded. Saruhiko blinked in confusion, which Reisi waited until he turned on the bedside lamp to answer.

"You've been asleep for most of the weekend. Are you feeling okay?" Reisi asked with light concern.

"Yeah, finals and training," Saru replied with a yawn.

"Ah. Then let's hold on training until summer break then," the guardian offered. Saru shook his head while he stretched.

"No, it's okay," the raven head replied. Reisi didn't seem to approve.

"Really. It's fine. I've been up on my computer too much," Saru continued with his made up excuse.

"Very well, if you say so. I thought we could have breakfast with my family today. It's been a long while since they've seen you," Reisi explained while heading for the door. Saruhiko wanted to groan out of despair but stayed silent. It had been around three years since his last visit to his 'extended' family. Reisi's mother loved to coddle Saruhiko, knowing he was the closest thing to a grandchild she was going to get from Reisi. Reisi's nieces and nephews would most likely be there, as the Blue King's brother often helped their mother with house chores and the like. It was completely torturous to visit Reisi's family since they all adored Saruhiko, but the raven head would much rather stay home and stew in his feelings of self-hate.

"Okay, I'll be down after a shower," Saru replied with a sigh. The Blue King gave a smile and left. Saru put on his glasses and took a look outside. The first signs of the sun were slowing appearing, brightening the sky. He would have felt better if it had been raining.

"Uncle Saru!" a high pitched squeal of several voices hit the raven head's ears an hour later. For whatever reason the kids had always called Saruhiko their 'uncle'. Saru winced slightly as two kids slammed into him, Reisi keeping him from falling by holding on to his shoulders.

"Careful there, you guys probably weigh more than Saruhiko does when you jump him together like that," Reisi commented with a laugh. The kids moved as one from Saru to Reisi, who didn't have anyone to hold him up and fell over.

"Oh, Saruhiko, you've grown three feet since I last saw you," a gentle woman's voice announced, her face glowing with happiness as she took Saru's arms in her hands to look him over before hugging him. He hated being touched but knew he had to respect this woman so he patted her back briefly. Saruhiko hid his inner turmoil behind a forced grin, which was actually very uncomfortable for him. He answered Reisi's family's small talk questions, shaking Reisi's brother's hand firmly with a nod. While he listened to everyone catch up, his mind wandered to this past week, realizing how lonely he had made himself. It really was what he deserved; Misaki should have gotten an explanation of some sort. He thought to the last thing he'd said before he left Yata standing there, wishing he could say how true it was. He really did want to love Yata. No, he _did _love Yata. That was what he should have said, honestly. But that wasn't how his mind let him work.

Saruhiko's thoughts were interrupted by Reisi asking him to help bring out dishes and food to the backyard. Nearly two hours later, the whole family was sitting on the lawn in the backyard, food covering a fold away table. In order for not too many questions to be asked about his weight, Saruhiko got tiny bits of everything so it would appear he was eating. About halfway through their meal, Saru's phone caught his attention and he saw he received an email from Yata. He wanted to cry from relief, but when he saw what it said he felt his heart break again.

"So Saruhiko, tell us about your girlfriend," Reisi's mother prodded fondly with a smile.-

* * *

"_**But there was no one who,**_

_**Could break my heart like this,**_

_**Could break my world in two,**_

_**I felt a suddenness, a suddenness."**_

**He Came To Meet Me – Hem**

Yata joined the clan for dinner that night. Although he was starving, he ate with caution in case his stomach wasn't ready for food yet. Everyone was very happy to see Yata, and he put on the best face he could for them. After dinner, he was feeling worn out but stayed downstairs until everyone left.

"You had me worried for a bit, kid. Glad to see you back on your feet," Mikoto commented from the bar, looking back at Yata who was on the couch. The anger Yata had directed at his uncle had faded through the night; his uncle had kept close to him ad brought him refills of ice water without Yata having to even ask.

"Hey uncle, you would tell me if you were about to do something bad, right?" Yata asked randomly, wanting to get his uncle's side of the story without giving away the information he knew. At this question, Mikoto's brow furrowed.

"What do you mean?" the red head asked. Yata bit his lip nervously. Even Izumo looked at Yata with curiosity.

"I mean... I know Kings don't live forever, and you've always had it out for the Blue King. But you would tell me if you weren't coming back home, right?" Yata's voice had a tiny tremble. Mikoto stopped, both out of surprise and confusion. Izumo raised an eyebrow and he looked at the Red King, anxious to hear the answer. Mikoto stayed silent for a few very long moments.

"Um... well," he paused awkwardly, looking to Izumo for help, which he didn't receive.

"Is that what you want?" the Red King asked. It was Yata's turn to be surprised.

"Yeah, I think so," he replied simply. Mikoto got up and sat next to him on the couch.

"Then yes, I will tell you," Mikoto promised. Yata gave a sad smile.

"You should get some more rest. You have a lot to catch up on for finals," Mikoto commented a few minutes later. Yata nodded and went to his room. Saruhiko had replied to him a couple hours ago, but he couldn't bring himself to read it with company around.

**I wish it were that simple but maybe we can talk about it?**

That was not the answer Yata had been hoping for, but it could have been worse. He thought of how to answer, knowing that he wasn't at strength yet. Just thinking of going to school tomorrow was making him tired, so Yata didn't know if he was up for a serious talk with Saruhiko just yet.

**I won't be at school tomorrow, so maybe Tuesday.**

Yata felt bad for lying, but thought it was small compared to what the raven head had done. More annoyed than he cared to admit, Yata turned on his game system to distract himself. He checked his email before he went to sleep, seeing a reply.

**Is everything okay?**

_No, you dumbass. _He thought before going to sleep without replying.-

* * *

"G-girlfriend?" Saruhiko stuttered, suddenly very nervous. Why the hell would she ask that? The raven head looked between Reisi and his mother, not knowing what to say.

"I would assume from observations of Saruhiko that he is much too busy to worry about relationships. He can hardly take care of himself, after all," the Blue King said with a rather sarcastic smile that didn't go unnoticed by the raven head. Saru couldn't blame him for it, since it was mostly the truth. Reisi's mother gave a sigh.

"I just hope it doesn't stay that way," she responded with a stern look at Reisi, who couldn't quite meet her eye.

Saruhiko and Reisi left a few hours later, when the kids fell asleep for a nap.

"I hope you two will make time for this aging woman soon," Reisi's mother said with a kiss to both their cheeks.

"I think that can be arranged," Reisi commented with a bow, which Saru mimicked.

The rest of the day was uneventful. Saruhiko reviewed what was going to be on his finals, then did sword practice with Reisi. He was trying to distract his mind from floating to Yata like it had earlier. He hadn't sent what he wanted. He wanted to say that he desired nothing more than to spend the rest of his life with Yata, to move away from this god-forsaken city and all these clans and their Kings, to make his life with Yata as his one and only priority. Saruhiko wanted to confess that his heart was completely and utterly filled with love for Yata, that Yata had stolen his very soul. But logic once again had taken over and made the raven head's fingers type out those 13 words that didn't have any feelings in them, didn't give a peek into his heart, didn't have a sliver of his soul. Those words came from his mind, and he hated himself for it.

Saruhiko became increasingly worried when Yata didn't answer his last email. It was nearly one in the morning now and the teen was pacing his room. Thoughts of Yata being injured had been circling his thoughts for nearly an hour now. Saru had first-hand experience with how dangerous and out of control clan related work could be, and Scepter 4 was considered organized and trained. So what did that make the Red Clan then? A bunch of untrained and unskilled thugs?

Saruhiko began going into a panic and logic disappeared. He pulled up his map application on his phone and typed in HOMRA, the bar he knew that the Red Clan met at. He grabbed a black hoodie and his shoes and snuck out of his room, choosing the backdoor to get out of Scepter 4. He didn't care what kind of trouble he would get into; he needed to make sure Misaki was okay. It was the least he could do after what he had done.

With his maps guiding him, it took Saruhiko ten minutes to get to the bar. There was a light on in the main bar, and a light on in one of the rooms upstairs. The raven head silently crept to a window and peered in. The Red King with his brilliant red hair was sitting at the bar, a drink in front of him. He looked angry, or bored, or a weird mix of the two. A blonde man was standing behind the bar, looking tired and talking to the King. Saru didn't see anyone else around. He looked up to the rooms upstairs, wondering which one was Yata's. The teen stole one more glance at the pair in the bar and froze. Mikoto Suoh was looking right at Saruhiko, his bright eyes in a cold stare.

"Can I help with you something?" the blonde man had somehow managed to open the front door without Saru hearing him. Saruhiko jumped about a foot in the air with a yelp, nearly falling over from fright. The blonde backed away a tiny bit to give Saru room to recover.

"I-...uh...I-" Saruhiko stuttered between gasps of air.

"Sorry, I'm lost. I'll just leave," he finally stammered, running the first direction his feet would go. He had been too frightened to look back or he would have seen Yata in his window, mouth open in shock.-


	15. Chapter 15 - Whattya Want From Me

**(Hi there guys! Okay, I feel terrible. Here's why I feel terrible: 1)This took FOREVER for me to get out. 2) It is SUPER SUPER SUPER short. I don't have any excuses, just that I am so sorry! My life isn't happy, so it's hard for me to write happy. What can say :P BUT, it it YOU GUYS that I wrote this for. Reading your reviews, seeing the follows and favs. So thank you. Thank you so much. I have my own room now so I should be able to write again. As always, let me know what you think!)**

**Chapter 15/ Whattya Want From Me**

"_**Yeah, it's plain to see**_

_**That baby you're beautiful and there's nothing wrong with you**_

_**It's me, I'm a freak**_

_**But thanks for loving me cause you're doing it perfectly."**_

**Whattya Want From Me – Adam Lambert**

Just what the hell was Saruhiko thinking?! Before Yata could even reach his phone, Izumo came into his room without knocking, a glare directed at Yata.

"It wasn't me," Yata said automatically. Izumo scoffed.

"Mikoto thinks Fushimi was trying to spy. I basically had to lock him in his damn room so he wouldn't go after him," the blonde hissed. Yata rolled his eyes slightly.

"I told him that we would talk on Tuesday. I don't know why he was here," Yata mumbled with a sigh. Izumo grunted in disapproval.

"Make sure it doesn't happen again," Izumo snapped before leaving with a quick shut of the door, making Yata wince slightly. _Dammit._

**You better have a damn good reason**

**for that stunt you just pulled.**

It took more energy than Yata cared to admit for him to not crush his phone in anger. Not only was Saruhiko being foolish, but what he did was dangerous and could have gotten them both in serious trouble. Yata clenched his jaw in frustration as he waited.

**It was dumb, I know. I'm sorry.**

**For everything. I thought by choosing**

**for you, I'd make your life easier.**

**But... I screwed up. You know**

**how they say you don't know**

**what you're missing until**

**it's gone? I can say that it's**

**true. I miss you. I'm crazy about you.**

**Misaki, I love you.**

For the second time that night, Yata's mouth hung open in surprise.

"Seriously?" Yata said aloud to his room. He re-read the message a few times and became more and more stumped. Although most of him felt immense relief, a small part of him felt angry and annoyed. Did Saruhiko honestly think it was that easy to make this go away? To make this pain he had felt for a week just disappear? Yata took a deep breath to help himself think more clearly. He had to remind himself that Saruhiko had no idea what Yata had been through for a week. But still, he wouldn't give in to the raven head so easily. No matter how much he loved him.

**Meet me at the park down**

**the street from the bar.**

Yata gave a nervous sigh as he started getting dressed. From what Izumo had said, Mikoto had gone to bed already. That meant Izumo was probably behind the bar, cleaning and going through the day's finances. Yata would have to sneak out the back of the building, unless Izumo would just let him go. But judging by the blonde's exit, Yata could safely assume that Izumo wasn't in a very giving mood.

After dressing in the darkest clothes he had and sneakers that wouldn't clunk too loudly when he walked, Yata crept his way downstairs and went for the back door. Although not very often, Yata had used this door enough to know he had to make sure not to trigger the alarm system.

Ten minutes later and Yata was sitting on one of the swings, waiting nervously and slightly on edge. Saruhiko hadn't replied, but Yata had a feeling that he couldn't be refused. Only a few moments later and Saruhiko emerged from the shadows, silent as a cat. A breath hitched in Yata's throat, but he stood from the swing and took a few steps towards the raven head. Although they looked like they were going to embrace, Yata stopped and punched Saruhiko in the face before anything could be said.-

* * *

Saruhiko didn't run for Scepter 4. He actually had no idea where he was when he finally stopped to catch his breath. The raven head honestly didn't care where he was, as long as it was away from that red monster. Even without using his power or aura, Mikoto Suoh managed to terrify Saruhiko like nothing in this world. For the first time since meeting Yata, Saru felt very grateful that Yata didn't inherit much from his uncle.

After taking a minute to calm himself and get his bearings, Saru glanced at his phone. As expected, Yata had emailed him. After making sure he wasn't in a dangerous area, the raven head decided to write from his heart.

Yata's response gave him a jolt. This could either be a very good thing or something more terrible than the current situation. The raven head but his lip and weighed his options. If he refused Yata, then that would definitely be the end of any type of future they may have had. If he went, he could apologize properly and see if Yata was forgiving. However, meeting Yata could also mean an official end for them. Saruhiko sighed dramatically and clicked his tongue in annoyance. If he didn't meet Yata, he would be a coward. No matter what happened, at least by going he could say that he had tried.

But with the stinging and swelling now present on his cheek, Saru had no idea which choice had been better. With eyes wide from shock, the raven head simply stared at the short chestnut teen who was fuming in from of him. Saru opened his mouth to speak then closed it when he couldn't form words. Yata huffed, crossed his arms, and then sighed in defeat while turning away.

"I guess that was a little much," Yata mumbled, looking at his shoes. Saruhiko stayed silent for a few moments, testing to see if it was okay to speak.

"No, I deserved that," he said in a surprisingly even tone, still looking at Yata. Yata looked up to meet Saruhiko's eyes, stepped back towards him, and suddenly clashed his lips fiercely on Saruhiko's. Another moment of shock, followed by his own fierceness to meet Yata's desperation. After a long moment, Yata pulled away. A small whine of protest left Saru's throat as Yata turned around and went back to sit on the swing. The raven head was completely and utterly lost.

"I had thought of yelling at you for all this bullshit, but I don't think I need to now. But I'm still pissed. And happy to see you at the same time," Yata said, though his voice broke and Saruhiko realized Yata was crying. Saru took a few slow steps towards Yata, unsure of how to react. Yata hid his face in his hands and took a long breath.

"You put me through hell! I don't want you to think that it's okay, but I think it's worse not being with you. Dammit Saruhiko!" Yata's voice was desperate, confused, and frustrated. Saru wanted to comfort Yata, but didn't know how. Silence fell between the two, with an occasional sniffle came from Yata.

"I'm sorry. I have no excuse for what I did. All I can say is I thought with my head, not my heart. Misaki, I will do anything to make things right. Anything," Saruhiko finished in a tearful whisper. He couldn't bring himself to look at Yata, instead finding an interesting piece of ground. Silence fell again. Saru stole a glance at Yata and their eyes met.

"Talk to me before you make a decision about us," Yata said sincerely. Saruhiko nodded.

"I promise," he stated firmly. The two teens kept their eye contact for several moments, both crying freely, until Yata got up and wrapped his arms around Saruhiko's waist. The raven head snuggled into Yata, closing his eyes and taking in Yata's familiar scent with a wry smile on his face.

"Don't ever pull bullshit like that again," Yata whispered into Saru's chest.

"I won't, I promise," Saru whispered back.

The pair held each other for a long while, not saying anything. Saruhiko thought about staying like this forever, protecting his Misaki from the cruel world they lived in. He never wanted to see the chestnut cry again and swore to himself to prevent that from ever happening. A world with Yata crying was not a world worth living in.

"There is something we need to talk about," Saruhiko finally broke the silence. Yata didn't move but gave a small sigh.

"What?" he asked.

"We aren't going to be a secret forever," Saru commented gently. Yata groaned in annoyance.

"I know. Tonight was proof of that," Yata replied.

"What do you think we should do?" Saruhiko asked, trying his best to give Yata as much control in the matter as possible. Yata didn't answer right away. Saru was seriously considering this Green Clan thing that had come up a few months ago – him and Yata would be under another Kings' protection, if they really needed it. And breaking a promise to Reisi seemed minimal if it meant being with Yata, right?

Saruhiko's thoughts were interrupted by Yata pulling away to look him in the eye.

"Let's run away. Tonight," Yata said with a very serious tone.


	16. Chapter 16 - Rooftops

**(Hello my dears! Okay, this is going to be a huge author's note, so stay with me for a bit. First off, I AM SO SORRY! I know it has been MONTHS since I have updated. Trust me when I say this: I FEEL HORRIBLE about how long it has been since I've updated! I have a job now, so I'm STILL trying to figure how to make time for things I love like this story and this fandom. On that same note: THANK YOU TO EACH AND EVERY ONE OF YOU that haven't given up on me! It's because of you that I find the time to write each sentence that I do get down. And it's like... a sentence a day... -cries in a corner- Now, on to the story: I know this chapter seems short, but it's because the second part of this chapter is already up! Wait, what? Remember that prologue waaaaaayyyyy back at the beginning of this story? This is where that part finally comes in! I knew we'd get there someday :P And lastly: I'm planning on ending this story at chapter 20. Sooooo... get ready for the end here soon. I have a couple more things that are happening in this story, and I have a few more stories in my head that are starting to pop out. Also, since K seems to be officially over and we all know about the Green King and all that... I will apologize that MY Green King is so OOC. Anyway... I think that's it... As always, let me know what you think and I will TRY MY DAMNEDEST to make sure to get the next chapter out soon!)**

**Chapter 16/ Rooftops**

"_**All the love I've met,**_

_**I have no regrets,**_

_**If it all ends now,**_

_**I'm set."**_

**Rooftops – Lost Prophets**

All of Yata's thoughts were based on impulse, and he knew that all too well, but what he used as an excuse was simple: being apart from Saruhiko was going to kill him. So when he said to run away, he really did mean it. Pulling it off tonight, though, was easier said than done.

"Tonight will be a little tough," Saruhiko said, seeming to read Yata's thoughts. Yata gave a chuckle and rested his head on Saru's chest with a sigh.

"Yeah, I know. But I do want to. Anywhere. As long as it's with you," Yata replied with his eyes closed.

"Okay," Saruhiko said simply.

Yata looked up slightly surprised. "Really? Are you serious?" he asked.

"Yeah. Let's do it," the raven head nodded, keeping eye contact with Yata. Yata's heart jumped and he smiled brightly, pulling Saru in for a heartfelt and joyous kiss.

"So how do we do this?" Yata asked, his forehead resting on Saruhiko's. Saru gave a small sigh and gazed into Yata's eyes as he thought. Yata's mind drifted on to where they would go. Probably the fastest and easiest place would be the United States, but places like Australia or England wouldn't bad either. They both were young enough to get a job somewhere; they wouldn't need to rely on anyone but each other. Maybe they would end up somewhere that they could get married even.

"Considering that I've planned a one way trip before, I already have some ideas. But I have to ask: how will Mikoto and the Red Clan react and can you actually leave them?" Saruhiko spoke gently, almost apprehensively. Yata almost flinched at the question. His mind filled with a raging Mikoto mindlessly burning his way through the country trying to find Yata. His rage would probably stem from hurt, betrayal, and disappointment. A simple note would be all that Yata could leave; it wasn't like he could actually say he was leaving. Meanwhile, Izumo would find Yata fairly easily, using his underground network to track where Yata ended up and would automatically know that he had left with Saruhiko. Mikoto wouldn't listen to any reason or logic and just burn his way to answers, probably ending up in jail.

Yata didn't know how long he sat thinking, but it must have been a while because Saruhiko cleared his throat gently with a raised eyebrow.

"Yeah, that's what I thought," the raven head said with a chuckle. Yata pulled back slightly and looked down at his shoes in embarrassment.

"Maybe I can tell him somehow?" Yata mostly asked himself. A sarcastic laugh left his partner. Yata couldn't help but narrow his eyes slightly in frustration. He was being kind of serious and didn't see what was funny.

"Yeah, sure. Tell your uncle that you want to leave Japan with the Blue King's son and live happily ever after. I'm quite sure the ill-tempered Red King will give you a thousand blessings and send you off with a fireworks show," the sarcasm dripped like venom from Saruhiko's voice, making Yata's breath catch. Yata knew Saru to have a cold shoulder, but this was just mean.

"What the hell?" Yata asked sharply in defense. This seemed to make the raven head even more agitated.

"There's nothing thicker than blood, right?" Saru spat out. Yata stepped back like he'd been slapped. He stopped for a moment, trying to figure out what to say.

"I don't know what you're so pissed about, but I've chosen you, Saruhiko." Yata said in an unmistakable tone. Saruhiko looked at Yata, a mixture of hurt and surprise on his face. The raven head took in a great breath and closed his eyes, lowering his head like he was ashamed. He seemed very tired all of a sudden.

"I'm sorry, Misaki," Saruhiko said after a few moments. Yata relaxed and gave a half smile, stepping closer to his partner.

"Why does family make you so mad?" Yata asked. Saru clicked his tongue.

"We should probably take a week or so to plan everything, like where we're going and how we're getting there." Saru not so eloquently dodged the question, but Yata didn't push the issue.

"Okay, well... where do you want to go?" Yata asked, edging slightly closer to Saru. In this moment, living in this park forever would be just fine with Yata as long as Saruhiko was there.

The raven head pulled Yata the remaining distance between them, wrapping his arms around the shorter and resting his head on Yata's chest. Yata sighed comfortably, a gentle smile touching his features.

"America would be the easiest to go, but not ideal for making a good life. England would be fun and fairly easy to get used to, but not very nice to foreigners." Saru again didn't answer the question directly. Yata figured he had a better time stating facts than anything else.

"America is all about freedom for the people, right?" Yata replied, not expecting an answer.

"Yeah. Way more than we have here," Saruhiko answered with a frustrated tone. Yata couldn't see his face, but he heard a touch of bitterness in the other's voice. The chestnut wondered if Saruhiko really was upset by all this or if there was more to his sarcasm. From their time together, Yata knew Saru had a fairly decent life having the Blue King as his "father." But Saruhiko was fervent in his almost opposite belief system from that of the Blue, and he seemed to hold the Blue King responsible in forcing Saru's hand in rebellion. Yata's life was much different, of course. Yata liked his uncle as the Red King and how the Red Clan ran itself. Sure, it could be dangerous, but that's what made it fun.

"Do you know what happiness feels like?" Yata blurted out without thinking, surprising even himself. He felt the raven head tense.

"Why do you ask something like that?" Saruhiko asked after a moment's pause. Yata blinked a few times like he was trying to clear his head, both out of shock that the conversation was continuing and confusion on what to say next.

"Um... well..." Yata felt awkward.

"You're kind of angry at everything and everyone all the time." Yata finally said meekly. Fushimi scoffed gently.

"The only thing worth energy to smile is you, Misaki. " Saruhiko's tone was genuine and gentle, and he looked into Yata's eyes when he finished. Yata blushed furiously and stuttered for a reply. Although his partner had dodged yet another straight answer, Yata completely didn't mind this time.

"I love you, Saruhiko," was all Yata could manage to say.

"Oh do you now?" a deep growl snapped the two boys out of their blissful bubble. Both of them jumped and looked over to see a bright redhead leaning against a tree in the darkness and glowing slightly in an angry red aura.-

"Ah shit," Saruhiko said under his breath, standing up from the swing like he was preparing for a fight. His glacier blue eye flicked towards Yata, who stood in front of him defensively.

"What are you doing here, Uncle?" Yata was trying for a strong voice, but the raven head could see Yata's shoulders were tense and his lower lip trembled slightly. Saru put a reassuring hand on the nook of Yata's back and was surprised when the shorter didn't pull away.

"It's almost five in the morning and Kusanagi found your bed empty," was the only answer the Red King gave. He had a hand in his pocket, the other holding a cigarette, his eyes glowing brightly in the darkness of the park. A chill ran through Saruhiko's whole body and he shuddered.

"I suppose there are worse things these two could be doing," a second deep, but rather cheery, voice rang from behind the pair and they jumped again.

"Wait, what?" Yata squeaked as he turned to see Reisi Munakata, the Blue King.

"What are you doing here?" Saruhiko snapped, obviously trying to hide his panic.

"Naturally, I went to wake you for training before breakfast and found your room empty. I then tracked you via GPS from your phone and found you here," Reisi replied in a factual tone, an eyebrow raised. Giving Saru a once over to make sure he wasn't harmed, the Blue King's attention shifted to Mikoto.

"It seems I chose an ideal time to show up this morning," Reisi stated with slight defense in his voice. Saruhiko clicked his tongue gently while he thought of what he and Yata should do. He looked between the three people in the park and became frustrated.

"This is bullshit," he muttered to no one in particular, but Yata reacted with a subtle glare.

"Don't make this worse," Yata whispered harshly to the raven head, who rolled his eyes and looked at his dad.

"Sorry to worry you, but I'm obviously fine," Saru tried. Reisi paid him no mind.

"Suoh, for as upset and confused as you are, I'm sure we can let this slide until we've all gotten some rest and calmed down," the Blue King stated while he stepped closer to the two boys in the middle of the two Kings. Mikoto gave a grumpy sigh in response, but also moved from his tree towards the boys. The Red King was itching for action it seemed, especially since he had been denied doing anything against the Green King. Reisi had picked up on this and was trying to diffuse the situation, but this only annoyed Mikoto even more.

"You know, I never imagined my own nephew would go behind my back and lie to me. Must be that bastard child of yours, Munakata." Mikoto said in a gruff voice. Saruhiko held his breath and his eyes widened slightly. The Red King was baiting Reisi and using Saruhiko to provoke him.

"It wasn't him! I-" Yata tried to speak up but Saruhiko hushed him quickly.

Reisi made no quick movements, but his hand went to his sword and his blue aura rose up.

"Take care how you talk about my son." Reisi didn't raise his voice at all but his words radiated through the park like they were in a massive canyon.

"Not much of a son when there's no blood shared. But you wouldn't get that, would you Reisi?" Mikoto's tone was almost teasing. Saruhiko felt it before he saw it: an icy wave of anger left the Blue King and Saru grabbed Yata and shielded him with his whole body. After the wave passed, Saruhiko grabbed Yata and sprinted towards a bunch of trees just as Reisi left towards Mikoto. There was a great crash as the two Kings clashed sword against fist. The pair looked back to see a mixture of the two auras making the park glow an odd purple, the Red King attacking with a smirk on his face, and the Blue King defending with ease. Mikoto's hands were already bloody from hitting Reisi's sword, yet Reisi didn't attack at all. Saruhiko felt that Reisi was just letting Mikoto get some energy out, that he didn't plan on having this fight go on for longer than what it took for the Red King to get a semi-good night's sleep.

"Unc-" Yata tried to yell but Saruhiko covered his mouth.

"Don't. Distracting either one of them could get them killed," Saru hissed. Yata gave a frustrated groan in response.

"What do we do then?" Yata pleaded, wrapping himself around the raven head for comfort. Saru held his boyfriend protectively, watching the two Kings fight for no reason except pride at this point.

"We get out of here. As soon as we can," the raven head stated flatly. Getting Yata out of this chaos was all Saruhiko wanted at this point.

"But we have to wait, don't we?" Yata's voice sounded hurt.

"The secret is out now. No point in waiting now. Waiting would probably make it worse at this point, actually," Saru finished with a wry smile. _How ironic, _he thought. But it was true: the longer they stayed in Japan, the tighter the grip their guardians would get.

"We'll leave today. After dark," Saru finished his thought out loud. Yata leaned back to look at him.

"Really?" Yata asked in a surprise.

"Yeah. I'll get all my savings together. So should you. Pack light; there's no way of knowing when we'll be able to settle down for good," Saruhiko said lightly. A small rush of excitement ran through his veins. Even though a battle between two Kings was going on around them, the raven head only had eyes for Yata.

"Okay, where will we go and how will we get there?" Yata asked in a whisper, clearly hopeful.

"Ships leave the docks of Japan every night. We can leave on one of those as workers and figure out the rest on the way," Saru stated simply. Not the best of plans and definitely not the most original, but with only about 12 hours to plan, they were fairly limited in their options. Yata nodded and turned his attention to the fight behind him with a mournful sigh.

The battle between the two men ended in a stalemate about twenty minutes later, though it was no surprise to anyone. The park was partially destroyed, with trees uprooted or burning, the land dug up with sword marks and hard landings from the two Kings. The two men stood, catching their breath, and glared at each other.

"Not our final battle, I see," Reisi said after a few minutes of awkward silence. Saruhiko grit his teeth in frustration.

"No. But soon," Mikoto replied gruffly while lighting a cigarette. Reisi sheathed his sword and turned to Saru and Yata.

"Saruhiko, time to go home," he stated bitterly, not even looking at Yata at all.

"I'll contact you soon, my sweet," the raven whispered to Yata while he embraced him and gave him a kiss. He gave him an encouraging wink before turning around to follow the Blue King back to Scepter 4.


	17. Chapter 17 - Young

**Hi guys! I'm not dead! And here's another chapter! So... work and therapy have gotten in the way of my writing, and I"m sure you'll be able to notice that my writing style has changed a bit. Anyway, I hope you like what I'm doing and where I'm going with it. Let me know!**

**Chapter 17/ Young**

"_**Feel the beating of our hearts,**_

_**fleeting hope as we depart**_

_**All together, walk alone against all we've ever known**_

_**All we've ever really wanted was a place to call our home**_

_**But you take all we are, the innocence of our hearts**_

_**Make to kneel before the altar as you tear us apart."**_

**Young – Hollywood Undead**

Yata looked around his room, feeling the weight of the silence he was left in. He didn't have many belongings; basically clothes and gaming things. He had two pictures, neither in a frame. He got up from the floor and plucked one of the pictures off the wall to look at it.

In this picture and giant birthday cake lit the center, eight candles burning red flame. Yata sat on Mikoto's lap, a look of pure glee on his face. Mikoto had a hint of a smile on his face, holding Yata steady, a glint of pride in his eyes. Izumo stood across from them, a string of red flame leaving his fingertips, providing the fire for the candles.

Yata stared at the photo, a look of pain crossing his features. In a few hours time Yata would be leaving all this behind. His uncle, who had rather selflessly raised Yata from an infant. Izumo, who helped Mikoto with no questions asked and no regard for his own life dreams. Yet here Yata was, contemplating on what he should pack in his single backpack, ready to throw their hard work away.

The chestnut haired boy sat down on his bed, emotion weighing him physically down. His throat tightened and he gasped for breath, tears spilling from his eyes. His uncle and Izumo had given up their late teenage year for Yata; put him in school, made him a safe home, fed and clothed him. It would have been so much easier for them to drop him off at an orphanage, where he actually belonged, and gone on with their lives.

Yata looked away from the photo and curled up on his bed. He though of his uncle as the Red King. Mikoto and Izumo both had told Yata that the Sword of Damocles was most likely going to kill his uncle. Through no fault of his own, the Red King's power was just too immense and powerful. More than once Izumo had reminded Yata that he was one reason why Mikoto kept his power under control. Mikoto mostly kept to sleeping; the easiest way to keep every thought emotion, movement, and word in check.

Although this picture showed a memorable and happy time for Yata's little family; Yata had a bigger, and much more lonely life. It was filled with birthdays where Mikoto was absent, Izumo having to apologize to Yata for the Red King. It was filled with Izumo trying to keep Yata distracted enough when Mikoto went out to fight with gangs and Scepter 4. It was nights of Yata waking up to look for Mikoto, panicking when he wasn't there, and Izumo spending hours trying to comfort him.

Yata sat up and wiped his face with a heavy sigh. Yes Yata had a good childhood. Yes, Mikoto and Izumo had given up and done a lot for him. But what was that worth if Yata stayed just to watch his uncle die? Yata was leaving with Saruhiko for a better life, a hopeful future, and less nights of worrying about that call or conversation about Mikoto being dead. Yata was leaving for love, as selfish as that might be. He took a last look at the picture a sad smile emerging, then put it under his pillow for Izumo or Mikoto to find.

The teen got up from his bed and went to his closet; picking out three shirts, a pair of pants, and two pairs of shorts. He went to his school bag and dumped its contents on his desk, arranging it to loo like he was studying in case one of his guardians popped their head in. Grabbing the necessary under garments and an extra pair of shoes, Yata's bag was full. This would be his life for who knew how long, until him and Saru had enough to settle down. Maybe a small apartment, a kitchen that Yata could cook in, one or two bedrooms. Maybe they could get a dog someday.

A soft knock snapped Yata out of his day dream. Keys jingled lightly against the door as Yata clumsily threw his bag on the bed and sat down in front of the TV.

Izumo opened the door widely to make room for the tray he was carrying; a steaming bowl of ramen and a bar mug full of soda perched carefully in one hand.

"Dinner time," Izumo announced gently, a hopeful smile on his face. Yata looked at his clock with shock, it was indeed past five already.

"Time went by fast," Yata voiced his thoughts. A quiet chuckle left his bond guardian, who set the ray down next to Yata on the floor.

"Sounds like you're feeling better," Izumo half asked, half commented. Yata looked down at his hands, feeling guilty.

"Yeah, I guess. Uncle Mikoto might have had a point. I did need some time to think. I'm sorry," Yata mumbled, sounding more like a pouting child than a near adult. Izumo waved the words away.

"It was just a spat. Not that last one you two are going to have," Izumo replied lazily. Yata couldn't bring himself to look up from his hands.

"Well, I don't see a reason to keep you locked in here since I'm sure after you ear you'll pass out. You haven't slept, right?" the blond asked. The teen shook his head.

"I would still stay in here until tomorrow," Izumo warned. Yata finally looked up to the retreating back.

"Thank you, Izumo. I hope you now that I love you," Yata said quickly and bashfully. Izumo turned around at the door, a genuine smile on his face.

"Love you too, kid," he said with a wink before closing the door gently. A wave of guilt threatened Yata once again but he fought it with a deep sigh and thought of his better future. He took a gulp of soda and started on his ramen; not knowing the next time he would have a homemade meal.

* * *

Saruhiko's day was much more busy and didn't have a hint of regret or doubt in it. He was about halfway through his plans for him and Yata, stuck on the next option in a series of boarding ships, staying in a hostel, catching trains, and... now what? Saru had a passport, standard issue for anyone in Scepter 4. But did Yata have one? Most likely not since the Red King wasn't known to travel. Having a passport made was easy enough, but if they wanted to stay on the legal side of things, it would take more time than they had and it would make the pair known as to where the passport was made.

Saru clicked in tongue in annoyance, drumming his fingers on his computer desk. He cursed the Red King for the umpteenth time that day, needing someone to blame for all this trouble. The raven head was already packed; a duffle bag with clothes and jackets, money and snacks sat at the end of his bed. The one things left to pack was his laptop, which he would do once he was done with this planning.

Saru figured they could travel thought Europe until they had enough money to settle in the United States. But at this point it was seeming easier to stay in Europe because their immigration laws were slightly more flexible than the US.

The pale teen nodded to himself, making up his mind. His end goal for him and his love was simple: a safe place for them both. It would be a long and hard journey, but they both had the drive and passion to make it work.

Checking over his plans one last time, he sent the files to his laptop and began the process of swiping his main computer completely clean. He disconnected his laptop from all previous servers and stored it away in his duffle bag.

Saruhiko glanced at his watch, a nervous laugh threatening to escape him. The hardest part of the whole mission was going to start in just a few short hours: escaping Shizume City undetected by Scepter 4, the Red Clan, and any other group that had their eyes on them. He took his glasses off and rubbed his eyes wearily. The teen needed a lot of caffeine and probably some food if he was going to make it through the night.

Stopping for that brief moment made Saruhiko think for the first time that day since he had set his goal. Was this the best course of actions? Considering what Reisi had told him and the Red King's reaction, yes. Did he have any idea what he was doing? Not in the slightest. But he knew it felt right. At least now he had a life to look forward to instead of a life forced on him. Reisi would look at this as a personal betrayal but maybe in a couple of years they could have a conversational relationship. No... what would most likely happen would be the two would never talk again, because pride. Saruhiko would never apologize for leaving and the Blue King wouldn't even think he was to blame. The two males would push the whole incident under the rug and move on with their separate lives.

While in thought, Saru had somehow made it down to the cafeteria where he was greeted with excited chatter. The raven head stopped for a moment to look around, trying to find the source for everyone's excitement.

"Good evening, Saruhiko," Reisi's deep voice cut through the noise from the teen's left. He looked to see the Blue King sitting at a table near the door, like he had been expecting him.

"Oh. Hi," Saru replied shortly, tensing automatically.

"I had dinner made for you," Reisi spoke in a tone that suggested he wasn't in the mood to pick back up from their earlier argument. Saru glanced at the table to see a plate with charred beef, white rice, and a cup of soda. He looked questioningly at the Blue King.

"You haven't left your room since we spoke earlier, so I figured dinner would be on your to-do list eventually," Reisi explained lightly, motioning for the teen to sit down.

"But why are you here?" Saru asked, following the indirect command. He took a gulp of his soda to calm his nerves.

"I know our relationship has been... strained," Reisi seemed to search for the most appropriate words for the current setting.

"However, I want to make sure you know I only have your best interest in mind when I made the decisions I do," the Blue King spoke gently so Saru was the only one who could hear him. The raven head wanted to burst out laughing but decided against it at the last second and covered it with a muffled cough. One of Reisi's eyebrows shot up.

"Right. Well thanks for the food," Saruhiko bowed his head in the Blue King's direction. Reisi seemed to lose himself in thought for a few moments.

"Of course. Don't forget training starts at 4:30 tomorrow morning, so do try to get some rest," his guardian offered genuinely while standing up with grace.

"Right. Yeah," Saru replied absentmindedly. Reisi stood by him for a moment before bending down and gently kissing Saruhiko's messy raven colored hair. A very brief blush met the teens cheeks, but when he looked up, Reisi was gone.

An unfamiliar feeling struck Saruhiko as he stared at the spot Reisi had just been standing. Instead of shoving the feeling away like he normally would have, he took the time to explore the unknown entity while eating. The feeling started in his stomach, like a chaotic ball of energy. Then the ball split into strings that crept through his whole body. Almost every muscle tensed, his eyes narrowed, his teeth grit, and he forcefully stopped the water that threatened his eyes. Saru took a gulp of his soda and steadied his breathing. What the hell kind of feeling would make his body react like that? He continued eating and went through a mental checklist of emotions he knew: anger, grief, happiness, guilt, sorrow, joy, pride, fear, disgust, trust, sadness, anxiety, and love. None of these felt right to what was happening to him.

He tapped his fingers on the table, losing interest in his dinner. He went back to his memories of the argument he had had with Reisi, hoping something would click.

_I thought I had raised you better than that, Saruhiko._

That was it. That feeling right there was what bubbled though his veins.

Saruhiko was feeling shame.

Shoving himself from table Saru walked briskly back to his room. Going through his duffle bag one more time to make sure he had everything he needed, he grabbed his coat and put on a pair of light weight sneakers. A single tear dropped down his cheek as he took one last look around his room then left with a gentle click of the door closing.

* * *

_**"I will dedicate and sacrifice my everything**_

_**For just a couple seconds worth of how my story's ending**_

_**And I wish I could know if the directions that I take**_

_**And all the choices that I make won't end up all for nothing."**_

**Crawling In The Dark- Hoobastank**

Nagare Hisui wasn't an evil man. He didn't want to destroy the world or rule it. He had a rather simply idea: freedom. Freedom to do what was right for you and yours. But for some reason this simple idea had completely terrified most people. The Blue King and Red King had made it clear that freedom was not allowed for their clans, or more importantly, their kids. This was confirmed last night when those two precious boys were found out. Nagare replayed the Red King's look of anger and utter betrayal over and over, each time his smile getting a bit wider. There was no doubt that those two boys would leave, the only question was when and where.

So for now the Green King waited. He wanted to be there when Saruhiko and Yata finally left those two overbearing Kings. It would most likely take some convincing for those two kids to join him. There was no telling what lies Reisi and Mikoto had told them or anyone else. But Nagare was nothing if not patient.

"Nagare, you're thinking of them again, aren't you?" Yukari's slightly sing song voice drifted into Nagare's thoughts.

"How on earth can you tell?" the Fifth King asked.

"You get this beautiful smile on your face when it comes to those two. I hope they do join us just so I can see such beauty more often," the purple haired man responded with a slight smile. Nagare didn't respond, knowing his companion knew his thoughts on that already.

The two sat in silence for a few moments before a long buzzing noise came from Nagare's monitor.

"I've never heard such an ugly noise before," Yukari grumbled with a sneer. Nagare ignored him, his eyes narrowing at the alert that flashed on his screen.

"Kotosaka!" the Green King spoke sharply. Yukari sat up from his relaxed position on the couch and peered at his King with a raised eyebrow.

"Hai! Hai!" the green bird medium flew in their apartment loudly.

"Find Saruhiko. Tell me exactly where he is going and we will rendezvous at his assumed destination," Nagare's tone was stern with a hint of worry.

"Saru! Saru!" Kotosaka bellowed as he flew back out the window.

"Already?" Yukari asked while combing his hair with his fingers.

"Yes. Saruhiko has completely disconnected from every server in the city, including his own. I assume he will collect Yata then they will find a way out of Shizume. Once we know how they plan on leaving, we will greet them there," the Green King finished with a rather wicked smile that made Yukari's skin crawl.

Yukari put on his make up and changed his clothes into something fashionable yet flexible in case there was going to be a fight. Nagare sat quietly with his eyes closed, almost like he was meditating. Yukari knew his King was opening his power enough to keep an open connection with his bird. It was nearly half an hour before he spoke.

"There you are," the fifth king whispered excitedly, his eyes opening to reveal a green glow.

"Where are they going?" Yukari asked with a sigh. He had always admired how beautiful his king's eyes were when they glowed.

"Unknown. Saruhiko hasn't gotten Yata yet, but he's near the Red King's bar. Single duffle bag... they're packing light. We're know more in a few minutes," Nagare informed his clansman. The Green King was slightly nervous now; he hadn't expected the kids to move so soon. He debated on who he should being to meet Saruhiko and Yata. Too many people might scare them. He wouldn't be able to restrain them both if he went alone.

"Yukari, when we invite our guests over, don't hurt them if they resist," Nagare's voice was light but commanding. Yukari gave a gentle smile.

"I understand how much those two mean to you, dear King. I will not ruin their beauty," the male responded.

"Yata! Yata!" Kotosaka's caw echoed in the room.

"To the docks, Yukari," Nagare exclaimed with glee.

* * *

Reisi Munakata hadn't always been a light sleeper. In fact, sleeping was one of the most significant changes to him since he has become the Blue King. It seems that one of the "perks" of being a King was not needing a deep sleep to get a good amount of rest. This usually didn't have a factor in Reisi's every day life, but it did come in a handy now.

A ding came from the Blue King's phone, which meant something of significance had happened: either a powerful Strain was causing trouble or there was something going on with another King. So when Reisi looked at his phone, he didn't need to clear his eyes of sleep but he still jolted at what he read:

**Subject: Green King, fifth King, Nagare Hisui**

**Notifications: Movement with Yukari Mishakuji**

**Destination: Shizume Docks**

The Blue King took a moment to wonder why that particular destination before getting up to get dressed in his uniform. He sent out a page for the Special Force Team One to assemble, which included Seri.

Once he was dressed and ready, Reisi started to head to the courtyard where standard meet and debrief took place. He stopped at the end of his hallway, a thought dawning on him. Since this involved the Green King, he probably should check on Saruhiko. It was a long shot that this had anything to do with Saru, but Reisi was the teen's guardian first and foremost. Hopefully Saruhiko would be sleeping, since it was a bit after midnight.

After a pause at the door, the Blue King cracked it open quietly to peer at Saru's bed. Reisi's eyes grew wide to see the room completely empty.

"Dammit!" Reisi whispered sharply as he dialed the teens phone number. His phone was off.

"Seri!" Reisi barked as he trotted into the courtyard.

"Sir! She responded quickly, bowing when she emerged from the row of men awaiting instruction.

"Saruhiko is not in his room and his phone is off," Reisi explained quietly so only Seri could hear him. She quirked an eyebrow.

"Do you think the Green King has something to with Saruhiko missing or perhaps Saruhiko-"

"Don't even finish that thought, Lieutenant Awashima," the Blue King cut off his second in charge. She bowed again quickly.

"I am sorry to jump to such an unlikely conclusion, sir," she responded.

"Dispatch a boat to cut off escape on the water. We will completely surround them. This time we will bring in the Green King and his clansman for violating our previous agreement," Reisi spoke to his troops this time. To say that he was angry was an understatement: the Blue King was furious.

"Yes, sir!" Seri and the troop responded crisply before dispersing. Reisi watched them for a moment.

"Seri, contact Izumo. I'm fairly certain that Mikoto's nephew will also be missing," the Blue King ordered with a sigh. Even on the Red King's best days he was a pain in the ass to deal with. But with Yata missing and a King to blame, Mikoto would be out for blood. This was going to be one hell of a night for Reisi.

* * *

Mikoto Suoh had spent most of his life sleeping. If he hadn't been sleeping, then he most likely could be seen drinking. And if the Red King wasn't doing either of those then he was most likely fighting. Currently the Red King was fighting, having his drinking interrupted by a rival gang trying to claim a bit of his territory. Mikoto was enjoying himself, in all honesty. Fighting helped him with letting loose his ever consuming Red Power, but it also took its toll on his Sword of Damocles. Izumo normally would convince him to avoid fighting but the blonde knew Mikoto was just plain pissed and needed to vent.

"Mikoto," Izumo chided gently as the Red King slammed one of the last guys left against an alley wall.

"Yeah yeah," Mikoto grumbled, taking a deep breath and lighting a cigarette with his fingertips.

"No, not that. Uh...well. There's no easy way to say this. I think the Green King has Yata," Izumo tried to say this carefully but it ended up coming out in nervous chatter.

"WHAT!" the Red King exploded, his aura bursting through the alley and singeing the walls. Izumo winced, half expecting a reaction like this but not as powerful. He himself had been pretty upset by Seri's phone call, hearing how angry the Blue King was, then also not finding Yata in his room. The blonde had a feeling in the put of his stomach but dared to not voice it: Yata and Saruhiko had run away and the Green King had somehow caught on to this. The way the situation was believed now was much easier to process and deal with; especially for someone like Mikoto. Izumo wasn't sure why Nagare knew, let alone how, but it was enough information to get the blonde into a mode for fighting.

"Scepter 4 has formed a team and is going to intercept Nagare at the docks," Izumo explained, again a bit nervous. Mikoto clenched his law and began walking in the direction of the Shizume Docks.

"Grab a couple of the guys and meet me there," the Red King said over his shoulder, his eyes glowing with hatred. Mikoto knew when they had met the Green King before that he was going to regret letting him go, and tonight was proof of that. Even though he was angry beyond belief right now, a smile crept on the Red King's face as he thought of the coming fight and what would happen afterwards. This fight wouldn't take the last of his power, but it would be a fight to remember. Then the Green King and his idiot minions would be out of the picture. That damn blue kid was already taken care of, and apparently Yata had come back around according to Izumo. So, after this fight, everything would be back to normal. Mikoto would have his nephew back and things would go back to what they should be: a family with no secrets or lies. A family that Mikoto and Izumo had fought tooth and nail for. A family that, even if it wasn't what they wanted, was what the three needed.


	18. Chapter 18 - Livin' On A Prayer

**Hello my faithful readers! No, this story is not abandoned! I will be finishing this story, at chapter 20, like I've said before. Thank you all very much for sticking with me, and get ready some tissues cause the next chapter absolutely made me cry. Note about the music for the second part of the chapter: There are two song options. One being Kings by Angela from the first season of K. It's the opening song. You can also listen to the song that I have listed. You choose for this one! Alright, as always, let me know what you think!**

**Chapter 18/ Livin' On A Prayer**

"_It doesn't make a difference if we make it or not,_

_we've got each other and that's a lot."_

Livin' On A Prayer – Bon Jovi

Misaki Yata wasn't a romantic by any means. Not once had he ever thought about dates or kissing or a wedding or being with someone he would die for. He never understood people who said, "Isn't that so sweet?" or "God, I wish my boyfriend was that romantic!" These notions confused him and that was where his thoughts ended on the subject. Being with Saruhiko had changed this a bit, of course. Yata now thought of ways to make his partner smile, if at all possible. Saru had proved difficult, in more ways than Yata dared to admit, but the few smiles that did happen brought Yata a joy that no words could describe.

All that aside, Yata felt slightly disappointed when Saruhiko came to pick him up. It's not like he was expecting to jump out his window to have Saruhiko catch him in loving arms or even having the raven head go on a daring adventure to his bedroom to carry him bridal style out of his home. There was a pebble thrown at his window, followed by a glare for no apparent reason when Yata looked out his window, and then an even harsher glare when Yata finally crept out to meet the raven head. A greeting of "idiot" was completely uncalled for, and Yata started to put up a fight before the bathroom light flicked on upstairs, scaring the boys into a tense silence.

Saruhiko took the lead and Yata followed, but he wasn't going to let his partner off the hook so easily. He observed his boyfriend for a couple of blocks. Saru was visibly tense, so much so his shoulders were tight against his neck like he was trying his hardest to blend into the shadows. He held his duffle bag with white knuckles, like he was ready to fling it at anything that looked at him wrong. His jaw was clenched, most likely giving him a headache that he was already so prone to. Saru's eyes were narrowed, but not with anger. Fear, maybe?

"Hey, you okay?" Yata asked with a gentle sigh. Saruhiko jumped slightly, even though Yata hadn't been loud at all. After a click of his tongue, Saru glanced quickly at Yata.

"Fine," the raven head replied through clenched teeth. Yata rolled his eyes at the blatant lie. To prove a point to his partner, Yata stopped walking right then and there. Saruhiko got almost a block before noticing that he was walking alone.

"Yata!" Saru would have shrieked if he hadn't been trying to whisper. Yata leaned on his hip, arms crossed, an eyebrow quirked. Saruhiko twirled around, almost toppling over with the weight of his bag. After an exasperated sigh, the teen stomped over to Yata.

"Alright, what the hell is your problem?" Saru asked irritated. Yata scoffed.

"MY problem? Where is your head? What are you so scared of?"Yata matched Saru's irritability, putting his full height towards the taller teen with his hands on his hips.

"I don't have problem! I'm not the one who stopped in the middle of nowhere while we're trying to get to a ship that leaves at a specific time. I'm also not the one who is standing in the middle of the street, pouting!" Saru whispered fiercely. Yata's eyes grew wider the more the raven head spoke.

"What... but... no..." Yata stuttered and tumbled over his words, unable to form a coherent thought, let alone form a sentence. He gaped at Saruhiko for a few moments, unmoving.

The silence seemed deafening to the shorter teen and would have become fairly awkward if Saru hadn't chuckled. Quietly at first, almost like he was unsure of himself. But as the moments went on, Saruhiko's chuckles turned into side splitting laughter, then evolved into a gasping-for-breath fit. Yata furrowed his brows, taking a small step back. He too let out a chuckle when it seemed like Saru had just completely lost it. Yata let the random laughter fit die down on its own, keeping a close eye on his lover.

"I'm sorry," the raven head gasped at last. Yata raised an eyebrow. Saru gave himself a great breath to steady himself.

"I'm sorry. I know it's not funny. But it is. I mean, here we are, leaving our lives behind and everything we know, right? But what do we do instead? We argue!" Saru ended with more laughter. Yata cocked his head to the side in a sign of agreement and gave a wry chuckle.

"Yeah, you're right," Yata replied, relaxing and leaning into Saruhiko's shoulder. A few minutes went by with the two boys just holding each other.

"Are you sure about this?" Saruhiko broke the silence. Yata lifted his head to look into the raven head's eyes.

"Are you?" he asked back. An almost pained look crossed Saru's face.

"I don't think I could do it without you. I think if I had to do it by myself, it would be easier to go along with what Dad wants for me. I mean, he has everything all planned out already and I don't have to worry about a thing. It may not be the perfect life, but it is a good life. But it's obvious that the only way we can be together is if we leave. And I'll do anything to be with you," Saruhiko explained, his words seeming to come from his very soul. Yata felt a sting in his eyes from a threat of tears.

"I don't deserve you," Yata whispered, not daring to try his voice. A tear did fall, causing Yata to look away in embarrassment. Saruhiko gently took Yata's face in his hands, looking him deeply in the eyes for a moment before sealing an unspoken promise with a longing kiss.

"You two have to be the sweetest couple I have ever seen," a voice broke the seemingly unbreakable moment. Both boys gasped and twirled to the source of the voice.

"Oh, hello!" Nagare Hisui said from across the street, sitting on the curb with his legs crossed. He gave them a small wave, an obviously fake smile on his face.

"What the hell are you doing here?" Yata growled, stepping in front of Saruhiko protectively. _Sssswwwooossh._ A quick flash happened before the Green King struck something out of the air with his hand, a clatter confirming whatever it was to be metal.

"That was my way of saying get the hell out of our way," Saruhiko said in a surprisingly calm voice. Yata glanced in his direction to see the teen standing next to him, a pair of throwing knives in each hand, ready to throw.

"Not very nice," Nagare replied, his voice dangerous. Yata took a defensive stance, ready for whatever was going to happen.

"Look kids, you need help. That's what I'm here for. I can protect you, give you a welcoming home, and you can even make some understanding friends. You guys wouldn't have to worry about too much, maybe run a couple of errands or do a side job here and there. But there would never be any danger involved, not when it came to you two. It's a pretty sweet deal, to say so myself. I honestly think you guys are being rather dramatic with this whole affair." Nagare was patient in his explanation, but there was an odd glint in his eyes. Yata narrowed his eyes angrily at the Green King.

"You have no idea what is going on. You know nothing about us or our lives," Yata spat at Nagare, clenching his fists.

"On that, my dear child, we can agree," yet another voice rang out.

* * *

_There's nothing left_

_So save your breath_

_Lying in wait_

_(Caught inside this tidal wave)_

Blow Me Away – Breaking Benjamin

"Damn, that was fast. I'd hoped for another 30 minutes at least," Nagare acknowledged Reisi while standing up, Yukari appearing from the shadows and fanning out slightly to better guard his King.

"Yes, well, I wouldn't be much of a Blue King if I couldn't keep track of you," Reisi replied smoothly, walking towards the other King until the two were at the Shizume Docks. The two teens followed tensely, at a safe distance away.

"Sure as hell saves me some time," a deep voice growled from the shadows.

"Which is why you're always late," Reisi commented without missing a beat. Mikoto only grunted in response, then lit the docks with his aura; his giant Sword of Damocles appearing in the sky. Two hands glowed behind him, lighting up the face of Izumo gently.

"Mikoto-" the Blue King tried.

"No. Not this time!" Mikoto snarled in anger, flinging a stream of fire towards Nagare and Yukari. Nagare laughed loudly in response, bursting into green lightning and crackling his way to the middle of the two other Kings.

Reisi took a calming breath, released his aura, and drew his saber. A few seconds after the blue Sword of Damocles appeared next to the others in the sky, spotlights appeared from the ocean, giving light to the whole docks. Orders could be heard from the boats, the men and Seri of Scepter 4 preparing for the three King battle. Reisi extended his aura like a bubble, pushing Yata and Saruhiko back and to the side of the fight, behind a stack of shipping crates.

"Stay there," he ordered the teens, as gently as a fight would allow. The Blue King didn't join the fight; instead, he let Mikoto rage on the Green King. Reisi claimed damage control, preventing chunks of concrete and building from causing more damage by directing the carnage to the ocean.

The Red King, on the other hand, clearly had only one thing on his mind: destroying Nagare Hisui. Nagare didn't seem fazed at all by the non-stop attacks; he seemed to be enjoying himself. Yukari had drawn his sword and was protecting his King from Scepter 4's more brave soldiers who joined the fray. Izumo kept by Mikoto, a snake like trail of flame circling the two men and meeting any green bolts that came their way. Reisi kept guarding, keeping a wary eye on the two boys in particular. Those two boys were watching the fight closely with a hint of awe, Saruhiko holding Yata protectively.

"Yukari," the Green King said in a sing-song voice, even though he was throwing bolts towards both the Red and Blue Kings at the same time. Apparently this was all his second needed to hear because with one great colorless wave, the men he had been fighting were pushed into the ocean. He then leapt high into the air, heading straight towards Mikoto, letting Nagare focus on only the Blue King.

"Wanting to be beaten easier, I see?" Reisi teased with a quirked eyebrow and a smirk.

"Heh. No, not at all, Blue King. I simply know who my stronger opponent is," Nagare replied while charging his hands with his electrical aura.

Right as the Green King threw a wave of his aura, Reisi stepped forward, slicing the aura with his charged saber.

"At least give me a challenge," the Blue King teased with a smirk. Nagare growled gently before exploding the area with a sparking green air. His normally dark green hair flashed to white and his body was crackling at all times now.

"Ah, so you were holding back. Good," the Blue King replied, sliding himself into his preferred defensive stance. Nagare charged at Reisi, slicing the air with bolts from every punch. A combined swiftness and aura-charged shield kept the Blue King safe, who again didn't actively attack. The Green King seemed to get more aggravated the more he saw no result from Reisi.

"Seems I've chosen the wrong opponent," Nagare grumbled audibly, glaring at Reisi while he caught his breath for a moment.

"My job is not to fight. My job, as the Blue King, is to keep law and order for the Slate and its chosen Kings. My intention in meeting you here tonight is to arrest you and detain you so you are no longer a threat to our city, Nagare." Reisi's deep voice was calm and official, like he was giving a speech to a large crowd. Mikoto actually _laughed _in the middle of his fight with Yukari, who looked amazed at the Blue King.

"You're so full of shit!" the Green King screamed, launching a huge bolt of lightning towards Reisi. Reisi again sliced at it, but it split in two, with one part of the bolt heading straight for Yata and Saruhiko.

"Yata!" yelled Izumo and Mikoto together, abandoning their fight with Yukari entirely to run to the boys. Reisi sliced towards Nagare, slamming him into the ground and pinning him with his saber on his throat.

"I thought you weren't supposed to fight?" Nagare teased with a mischievous glint in his eye.

"As a King, I would prefer not to. But when you attack my son, I will _not _hold back," Reisi replied with a threatening tone.

"You share no blood with the boy. It should not have any consequence to you what happens to him or where he goes," Nagare said factually.

"Take care with your next words, Nagare Hisui. Although I won't like it, I will take the life of another King and deal with the consequences accordingly." The Blue King's voice was dangerously low, so very unlike the usual Reisi Munakata. Anyone who had heard the words spoken was given an instant chill down their spine, and the silence that followed was deafening.

"Finally pinched the right nerve, I see. Should have started with that," Nagare's voice was annoyingly sarcastic, causing Reisi to push his saber a little closer to skin.

"Mikoto?" Reisi asked, ignoring the Green King and glancing behind him the best he could without taking his focus off of Nagare.

"They're fine, thanks to your boy," the Red King called out. Reisi took a breath and looked back to his opponent.

"Nagare Hisui, fifth and Green King, you are-" Reisi started.

"Not today!" Yukari sang out lightly, thrusting his kitana towards the Blue King's throat. Reisi jumped back in surprise, frustrated at being caught off guard so easily. He stood by Mikoto and Izumo, giving them both a meaningful look: _Say goodbye. _Reisi gave a slight nod and engaged in a two on one battle with the Green Clan, while Mikoto and Izumo turned toward the two boys.

"Well kids, this is farewell," Izumo said with a sad smile.


	19. Chapter 19 - Faded

**(Hello my lovlies! Well, this is it. This is the final chapter to the main story. A bonus chapter will be coming out soon, but my heart is fairly empty with the ending of this story. I wouldn't call it a writers block, it's more of a writers grief. So, thank you. Each and every single person that has made it to the end. To my beautiful beta St. Minority: You are one of the most amazing beings on this earth, and this story COULD NOT have been made without you. Thank you so much for listening to me bitch and whine when these two were giving me a hard time, or throwing ideas at me when my head was empty. To all of my readers: You're the reason I kept going. And you're the reason this story can now be filed under complete. The amount of reviews, follows, and favorites is astonishing and brings me to tears. Thank you so much, for all the love. And remember, there will be a chapter 20, I just have no idea when my heart will be ready for it. Thank you, and enjoy!)**

**Chapter 15/ Faded**

"_These shallow waters, never met_

_What I needed_

_I'm letting go_

_A deeper dive_

_Eternal silence of the sea_

_I'm breathing_

_Alive"_

Faded by Alan Walker

"Wait... farewell?" Yata asked confused. Saruhiko took his hand, seeming to understand the situation better than him.

"Yes, Yata. You're getting on that ship and getting away from this God-forsaken place. This is not the world I want you in," Mikoto's voice was touched with sadness, something Yata had never heard before.

"And... you're okay with me leaving? And being with Saruhiko?" Yata asked, more for confirmation for himself. Mikoto lit a cigarette and took a drag before answering.

"You're happy with him. I'm won't get in the way of that," Mikoto replied calmly. Izumo gave a half smile, a bit of pride showing in it. Yata's eyes stung, but he didn't hold his tears back. He stepped towards his uncle, paused for a brief moment, and then flung himself on Mikoto for a back-breaking hug.

"Thank you," Yata managed through his sobs. Saruhiko watched for a moment, then his attention was drawn to Reisi. He had no idea how, but Reisi was holding himself with ease against his two opponents. The raven head watched with amazement before Izumo stepped into his sight.  
"Erm..." the blonde started awkwardly. He looked towards Yata, who was still crying into his uncle's chest.

"So, I knew what was going on when I found Yata's bedroom empty. I mean, Yata has told me most of everything that's happened with you two, so I kinda figured something like this was going to happen soon. Anyway, here. This is some of Yata's life savings. I'll keep the rest in case you guys have an emergency or want to visit or something," Izumo explained rather badly, but quietly. A whole wad of cash ended up in Saruhiko's hand.

"Oh. Wow. Ummm..." Saru had no idea how to reply.

"Promise me you'll take care of him? Whether or not it works out, please just take care of him?" Izumo suddenly became stern, but not in a harmful way. Saru looked away for a moment before meeting the blonde's eyes.

"I will. I promise. He makes life worth living," Saruhiko whispered, unsure of his voice. Izumo's shoulders relaxed and he gave a gentle sigh, then held out his hand to shake for Saru. The teen took it, nodding and giving a slight bow. Izumo smirked and joined the other two.

Saru watched them for a moment before he felt like he was intruding, his gaze falling once again on Reisi. _His dad. _Nagare may have said something harsh, but it was true. There was no blood shared between him and Reisi. But what did blood matter in relationships anyway? Reisi had no reason to take him in, and Reisi's life would have been easier if he hadn't. But there Reisi was, fighting two super-powered men, for his sake. Maybe not just for his sake, obviously, but he wouldn't have ever had to fight against Nagare if Saruhiko hadn't been dropped at Scepter 4's door.

"Hey," Yata's soft voice interrupted the raven head's depressing thoughts. Yata grabbed his hand like a life line, his own trembling from emotion, tears still falling down his face softly. Saruhiko looked confused for a moment.

"Your turn, Reisi!" Izumo called out, flinging a fire snake at Yukari. Mikoto skipped the flair and burst the whole area around Reisi with his aura. The Blue King gave them a thankful nod and jogged over to the boys.

"May I?" he asked Yata gently, not even out of breath from his fight.

"Of course," Yata replied with an encouraging smile. He let go of Saru's hand and walked over to a crate that was still intact, sitting down to observe his uncle and Izumo.

"I hadn't planned on ever saying goodbye to you, so I don't have my thoughts planned for this," Reisi began, looking slightly nervous.

"I don't have to go. If you tell me I can't, then legally I can't leave," Saruhiko replied, looking at anything but the Blue King's face.

"Yes, well. I am telling you to leave. Go somewhere safe. Live life. Be happy. Live that life you told me you could have, because it is better than what is here," Reisi spoke gently, his voice shaking the tiniest bit. Saruhiko looked at his dad for a few moments before looking down in guilt. The Blue King gently grabbed the teen's shoulders to look him in the eyes.

"I am proud of you. You've found love. Not a fickle kind of love that will fade over time. It's a love that will last forever. You've already accomplished something many people, including myself, have failed, or will fail, at. I support you, Saruhiko. And if you ever need me for anything, my door will always be open for you," Reisi's voice grew steadier as he spoke. Saru wouldn't allow himself to cry, not here. His body trembled in response to him not showing his emotion.

"Okay. Thank you," he replied simply, the easiest way he knew how. The Blue King nodded once and pulled him into a hug, which Saru returned.

"Have a safe trip. If you can, call me when you arrive wherever it is you'll end up. Don't worry about time differences; you know I don't sleep often. Once you're settled, we'll talk about living arrangements and the like," Reisi said all this while he was guiding Saru to sit with Yata.

"We'll be fine," the teen replied.

"I highly doubt that, given you both are underage in basically all countries except Japan. But once people speak with me, you'll find the world a little bit easier to handle," the Blue King said lightly with a smirk on his face. Saru clicked his tongue.

"Okay, okay, I get it. I'll call you," Saruhiko gave a dramatic sigh.

"Good. I love you, Saru. Never doubt that, please?" Reisi stopped walking to say this.

"Love you too, dad," the raven head replied with a gentle smile.

"Try to get him to eat and sleep better, huh Yata?" the Blue King said to the other teen jokingly.

"Yes, sir!' Yata half saluted. With one final look to the both of them, the Blue King turned to rejoin the fray against the Green King.

The boys sat in silence for a couple of minutes, watching their families slowly overtake Yukari and Nagare.

"We'd better board," Saruhiko said with a tired voice.

"Yeah," Yata matched his boyfriend's tone. The two boys slowly gathered their bags, both feeling an indescribable feeling of guilt and exhaustion. They held hands as they walked towards the passenger loading bay, waiting in silence for their turn.

"Wait, do you have tickets?" Yata asked suddenly.

"Pretty sure we don't have to worry about it. In three... two... and one." Just as Saruhiko said "one," Seri walked up to the ticket handler and whispered in his ear, pointing to Saruhiko and Yata. A nod later and Seri bowed, then faced the two teens to bow again.

"Thanks, Seri," Saru called out.

"Wha?" Yata asked dumbly.

"Scepter 4 is getting our fare. And I'm sure much more," the raven head replied. Yata looked between Seri and Saru, shrugged, and bowed his thanks.

"Somehow this feels worse," Saruhiko muttered as he led Yata gently by the arm onto the boat. Yata choked a bit, hiding his face into his lover's chest. Saruhiko held him in silence, watching his dad give the final blow to Nagare with his saber to the back of the neck. The Green Sword of Damocles disappeared from the sky, followed by the others soon after. In a whirlwind of green and gray smoke Yukari disappeared, his laughter echoing through the docks. Saru watched Seri handcuff Nagare, knowing exactly where Nagare was headed. The raven head briefly wondered what would happen to the Green King.

The horn on the ship blared loudly announcing its departure; and everyone, all of Scepter 4 included, faced the ship. Mikoto and Izumo pumped their fists in the air.

"No blood! No bone! No ash!" the two voices rang out. Yata joined in proudly, still crying.

"Men, draw your swords," Seri gave the command almost too quietly.

"We of Scepter 4 carry out duties of the sword. Forgiving neither war in the sanctuary, nor chaos in the world. We will advance with sword in hand, for our cause is pure!" Scepter 4 chanted together, swords glinting in a ceremonial salute. Reisi raised his saber, sheathed it gracefully, then bowed to both boys. Everyone else followed.

"Thanks guys," Saruhiko whispered, tears making their way slowly down his face.

* * *

_**One Year Later**_

"I'm home!" Yata called out to the apartment, laden down with groceries. He used his foot to close the door, more loudly than he intended.

"Yes, that's Yata. He just walked in, hang on," Saruhiko grumbled with an eye roll.

"It's dad. He bought plane tickets for us, leaving next week," Saru updated his boyfriend quickly, his hand over his phone.

"Wow, surprise surprise! But what about work? I mean, I'm sure I can take time off since it's a bit slow..." Yata started.

"He's already talked to them, of course," Saru clicked his tongue with annoyance.

"Ah, so he's planned this. Alright then, I'll start packing after dinner. How long will we be staying?" Yata asked as he made his way to the kitchen.

"Just shy of two weeks," Saruhiko responded, putting the phone back to his face to continue talking to Reisi. While not the best apartment in the world, Yata and Saruhiko had managed to find a lush two bedroom apartment (with the help of Reisi Munakata as a co-signer.) They took some of their savings to furnish it: a love seat, couch, TV, queen size bed (Yata moved a lot in his sleep), and a desk for the office. Izumo had shipped the rest of their stuff from Japan, which was mostly entertainment for when the two had time off. Yata had found a job at a grocery store as a cashier, while Saruhiko took a job as a night security guard for a science lab. Although both boys were a year shy of legal "adult" age of 18, their employers were pleased with their skills and overlooked having underage workers.

"Tch. Such a pain," Saruhiko grumbled as he walked in the kitchen to help put the groceries away. Saru was normally asleep right now, and probably hadn't had his coffee yet. Yata set a cup out to get coffee going for his lover.

"Nah, not really. We knew they were getting anxious to see us," Yata replied with a shrug as he put some water on to boil.

"Then they should come here," the raven head snapped back with a tired voice. Yata sped up his coffee making process as best he could.

"I've never flown before," Yata changed the obviously sore subject. Saru raised an eyebrow towards his lover.

"I hope you don't get sick," Saru said with a sigh as he put noodles in a cupboard.

"Leave those out, I'll use them for dinner. Why would I get sick? I eat properly, unlike you," Yata gave a teasing smile.

"Tch. I eat fine. Flying is boring. Good time to sleep," Saruhiko replied with a yawn and a stretch. Yata hummed in response as he gathered pots and pans to start cooking. Steam rose from the kettle that was on the stove, letting Yata know the water was ready to make coffee.

"Should we have Sally watch the house while we're gone?" Saru continued the conversation from the dining room table, taking out his phone to look at the various contacts he had.

"No, she has a new boyfriend. Who knows what she'd do with the whole place to herself. How about Brandon?'" Yata replied while adding cream and sugar to the coffee he had made for Saru. The raven head had claimed Yata was the best ever at making coffee, but he knew Saruhiko just hadn't ever had someone make it for him before.

"Yeah, he'd be fine. Probably will just play games the whole time," Saru gave a shrug.

"Alright, I'll pack later. Here's your coffee, my dear. Oh, and if you're going to pack knives, please don't hide them. It'll only slow us down for boarding," Yata looked sternly at the raven head. Saru gave a chuckle, getting up and kissing Yata on his forehead.

"Yes, my love," he answered gently before going to the living room to drink his much needed caffeine and wait for dinner.

* * *

**One week later**

"Yata! Saru!" Izumo's voice called out over the crowd at the airport. Both boys looked over to see a waving Izumo, a hunched over Mikoto with a cigarette in his mouth, and a rather excited Reisi bouncing on his heels. Yata laughed and hopped over to them, grabbing Mikoto and Izumo into a group hug. Saruhiko walked over and stood awkwardly by Reisi, who gave up on staying straight faced and smiled widely. He scooped Saruhiko into a great bear hug, almost lifting the teen off the ground. Saru had grown in the past year and was about three inches shy of Reisi's height. The raven head blushed the tiniest bit, patting Reisi's back during the hug.

"Look at you guys. Saru, you're so tall now. Yata, you've managed an inch or two even!" Izumo laughed. Yata grumbled and rolled his eyes.

"I have food ready at the bar. Let's go and we can catch up," Izumo said excitedly.

"We talk every week..." Saru mumbled quietly. Yata nudged him gently, shushing him.

The group had a big lunch, talking well into the evening. The Kings told the boys that Nagare was still in Scepter 4's care, his sentence of 5 years had begun a few weeks after the teens had left. The bar had been expanded into part restaurant, part bar, which helped immensely with business. Scepter 4 and Mikoto's gang started working together, keeping most all of Shizume City safe. Even Izumo and Seri had openly started dating. The talking quieted down a bit after Reisi received a phone call related to work.

"Wanna go for a walk?" Yata asked Saru. Saru nodded, feeling the need for some fresh air.

Yata seemed to have a plan in mind because he led the raven head through various alleys and streets.

"That's where we first ate together, remember?" Yata pointed out a familiar looking restaurant. A fond smile graced Saruhiko's face. Lost in memories that had almost been forgotten, Saru hadn't noticed that Yata had taken them back to their high school.

"Remember this spot?" Yata asked as they ended up behind the gym, where they had officially started dating.

"A lot of making out was done here," Saru teased, pulling Yata near him.

"Mmmhmm," Yata replied dreamily as Saru gently attacked his neck. Yata pulled away slightly to gather his thoughts.

"Saru..." he began. The raven head ignored him, pulling him close again.

"Wait," Yata protested, stepping back. Saru sighed and clicked his tongue. He hated when Yata wasn't in the mood. Yata took a deep breath.

"I had planned on saying more than this, but I've never been good with words," Yata started, a slight tremble in his voice. Saru's eyebrows creased in confusion. This didn't sound good at all.

"These past two years have been amazing. I don't ever want to forget them. I hope I never do. In fact..." Yata continued.

"Wait... Yata..." Saru interrupted, his voice edging on panic. Yata held up his hand to silence the other teen.

"In fact, I want to look back at my life when I'm dying and see nothing but memories of you. Saruhiko Fushimi, will you please marry me?" Yata's voice struggled a bit, but he took a breath to steady himself. He pulled a box out of his pocket and opened it to reveal a silver band. Saruhiko's eyes grew wide with shock, then stung from tears wanting to fall.

"Yes, you idiot."


End file.
